Shadowy groups seek to hurt House GOP incumbent by boosting independent challenger

A Democratic-aligned PAC and two other shadowy groups in a competitive House district are seeking to boost the chances of an independent candidate running against Republican incumbent Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.).

A mailer from the Voter Protection Project, a Democratic-aligned PAC, says Robert E. Reid will “represent true conservative values” and bashes Kiggans. A copy of the mailer was shared with The Hill.

Another new PAC called Save Western Culture, which has not yet reported its funding sources, similarly sent out a mailer shared with The Hill that called Kiggans a “globalist RINO,” while tying Reid to Trump.

A third group identified as “Fight Big Pharma” sent a mailer, a photo of which was shared with The Hill, that negatively compares Kiggans to Reid regarding how the two discussed the 2020 election. Kiggans in the mailer says President Biden won in 2020, while it says Reid argued, falsely, that the election was stolen.

Kiggans, who is facing Democratic challenger Missy Cotter Smasal in a race rated â€œlean Republican” by the Cook Political Report, criticized the “games” from a group that recruited the independent candidate in a September House GOP press conference.

“While Democrats pretend to be defenders of democracy, they’ve proven yet again they will resort to lying and cheating in an attempt to trick voters. They know they cannot beat me in a fair fight straight up on my record and policy priorities, so they resort to unethical and shady tactics like this,” Kiggans said at the press conference.

Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District is not the only one in which a Republican is facing an apparent effort by outside groups to siphon votes away from Republicans to independent and third-party candidates. Save Western Culture is also supporting other third-party candidates in competitive races.

Reid has not reported raising any money to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), and he has no campaign website. 

He is one of several candidates across the country who was recruited by Patriots Run Project, The Associated Press reported in September. The group, which is reportedly connected to Democratic firms, recruited the widowed retiree and other individuals to run as independent candidates in competitive races, the report said.

Republicans say the efforts to boost the independent candidates are clear attempts to siphon votes away from GOP candidates by appealing to conservative voters who would not otherwise vote for a Democrat.

In an interview with local outlet 13 News Now that aired at the start of October, Reid — who reportedly does not live in the district — said he did not decide to run in order to siphon votes away from Kiggans. But he also said he is not sure if people should vote for him.

“I just found out yesterday I have cancer,” Reid said. “I don't know where my health is at. And I don't want people to waste a vote if I'm not going to be here that long. And that's the truth.”

Reid did not respond to phone and email inquiries from The Hill on Thursday about his health and his thoughts about the outside efforts to get voters to support him.

The mailer from the Voter Protection Project accused Kiggans of working “for her wealthy donors, not Virginia taxpayers,” citing a Politico story about earmarks in her district, and urging voters to support Reid.

“Robert Reid Jr. is the only candidate we can trust,” the mailer said, to “cut wasteful federal spending,” “drain the DC swamp” and “represent true conservative values.”

The Voter Protection Project website, however, aligns with Democrats and says on its website that it is fighting against “Mitch McConnell, Mike Johnson, and conservative legislatures around the country.”

Independent expenditure reports show that the Voter Protection Project spent $30,750 on a digital buy and $72,119.56 on the direct mail to boost Reid in his race.

The group did not immediately respond to an inquiry from The Hill about why it is supporting Reid, and whether the group stands for cutting spending and “conservative values” as articulated on the mailer.

“Save Western Culture” aggressively tied Reid to Trump in another mailer.

“Globalist RINO Jen Kiggans stood by while we faced tyrannical COVID jab mandates,” the Save Western Culture mailer said on one side, while featuring a quote from Reid supportive of Trump on the other – picturing him a collage that included former President Trump, a statue of confederate general Robert E. Lee, and an American flag. 

The photo of Reid used on the mailer was taken from the local news interview in which he said he is not sure people should vote for him due to his cancer diagnosis.

A recent independent expenditure report showed that the PAC spent $29,163.20 targeting Reid and $14,581.60 targeting Kiggans. 

The group has also spent money to prop up independent and third-party candidates in other races, the New York Post reported. In Maryland’s Senate race, Save Western Culture boosted Libertarian candidate Mike Scott, as former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) and Angela Alsobrooks (D) are seeking the open seat.

Save Western Culture registered with the FEC on Oct. 11 and reported raising $0 through Oct. 16 — but it has since filed independent expenditure reports totaling more than $1 million in various races. Its donors may not be known until after the election. 

The group did not return phone and email inquiries from The Hill about its funding sources and decision to support Reid.

A third group sending mail to voters to boost Reid identifies itself as “Fight Big Pharma.”

Its mailer aims to show where Kiggans and Reid “stand on our values,” with an apparent attempt to appeal to conservative voters. It says that Kiggans “said Biden won the election,” while Reid “believes the 2020 election was stolen,” and claims that while Kiggans “supports tax increases” — citing a vote on a massive GOP bill that would have repealed energy tax credits — Reid “supports a flat tax for everyone.”

The Hill could not find any FEC, IRS or corporate records for “Fight Big Pharma.” A message to a Facebook group of the same name went unanswered. A disclaimer said that the group “does not endorse or support candidates, but instead provides this educational information so that you can make an informed decision on voting,” indicating it is not a PAC.

Taylor Giorno contributed.