Spending increases in Cuellar-Cisneros race ahead of runoffs

From the March 1 primary through the runoff date, Cisneros has spent or booked $1.6 million in ads — over $1 million more than Cuellar, who has spent or booked $542,000, per AdImpact. But the incumbent’s outside backers more than make up the difference.

United Democracy Project has spent $934,000 so far. Mainstream Democrats, a new super PAC funded by LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, has gotten involved in a number of races across the country and entered the Cuellar-Cisneros primary this week.

The group has booked $432,000 on TV so far. Its ad, which ran in both English and Spanish, mentions Cuellar’s past votes to lower drug prices or raise the minimum wage to $15. But most strikingly, the ad states that “with women’s rights under attack from extremists, Democrat Henry Cuellar has made it clear that he opposes a ban on abortion.”

Cuellar is staunchly against abortion and voted against the rest of his fellow House Democrats on a measure to codify Roe v. Wade. But after POLITICO published a draft majority Supreme Court opinion that would strike down Roe v. Wade, the incumbent released a statement saying that he disagrees with an outright ban on abortion that doesn’t feature exceptions for cases of rape, incest or danger to the parent’s life.

Cuellar’s other ads have focused more on border security, his support for law enforcement and House votes for different issues like health care benefits. Outside of one pro-abortion rights ad that started airing at the end of April, Cisneros’ ads have generally centered on her health care platform and immigrant, working-class background.