Club for Growth Targets Dewhurst With $1 Million Ad Buy

Less than 24 hours after helping defeat U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar in the Indiana Republican primary, the Club for Growth on Wednesday announced a new $1 million ad buy targeting Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in his U.S. Senate race.

The new 30-second ad, which will air on broadcast and cable channels in markets around the state including Houston, Dallas and Austin, cites newspaper articles that have described Dewhurst as "moderate" and a Wall Street Journal piece that accused Dewhurst of supporting a state income tax.

"Moderate tax-raising David Dewhurst. Wrong for Texas," the announcer says. "Vote against Dewhurst on May 29."

A 15-second version of the ad will run on conservative websites, the group said.

The conservative Club for Growth has endorsed former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz to replace Kay Bailey Hutchison in the Senate but has focused more of its advertising urging voters away from Dewhurst. It aired two 15-second spots against Dewhurst on cable stations earlier this year.

Club for Growth Action, the group's PAC, has previously spent $468,758 on anti-Dewhurst efforts, according to OpenSecrets.org. The PAC also invested more than $1 million in ads against Lugar and in support of  Indiana Treasurer Richard Mourdock, who beat Lugar in Tuesday night's primary.