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Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy addresses reporters at the Capitol
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy addresses reporters at the Capitol, on July 25.Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images file

Democratic groups target House Republicans in new shutdown ads

Three Democratic outside groups are launching TV and digital ads across eight House districts on the looming shutdown.

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A trio of Democratic outside groups are launching new TV and digital ads Wednesday targeting House Republicans over the potential government shutdown.

The ads appear to be some of the first to mention the spending standoff. Lawmakers have until Sept. 30 to reach a deal to fund the government, and House Republicans have been struggling to find consensus in their conference. The standoff potentially puts those facing tough races in a bind as Republicans navigate a narrow House majority.

And Democrats are looking to make the experience even more painful for these Republicans.

House Majority Forward, the non-profit arm of the Democratic super PAC House Majority PAC, the League of Conservation Voters and Climate Power are spending more than $500,000 on new TV and digital ads aimed at eight House Republican, according to an announcement shared first with NBC News.

“Instead of working to grow the middle class, MAGA Republicans are threatening to shut down the government,” House Majority Forward executive director Abby Curran Horrell said in a statement, referring to former President Donald Trump's "Make America Great Again" movement.

“Americans must make their voices loud and clear, and tell their representatives to stand against cuts to health care, clean energy jobs, and Social Security,” Curran Horrell added.

The ad buy also includes a national cable ad and airtime in upcoming college football games.

"Just as the middle class is getting back on its feet, Juan Ciscomani wants to pull the rug out from under us," the narrator says in a 30-second ad targeting the Arizona Republican. "He’s sided with MAGA Republicans who’ve threatened to shut down the government."

Ciscomani is one of 18 House Republicans representing districts that former President Joe Biden carried in 2020. The ad buy is also targeting four other Republicans in Biden districts: Oregon's Lori Chavez-Deremer; and New York's Anthony DeEsposito, Mike Lawler and Marc Molinaro.

The new ads will target California’s Ken Calvert, Michigan's John James, who won his first term by less than 1 percentage point, and Nevada's Mark Amodei, whose district is not considered competitive.

CORRECTION (Sept. 20, 10:45 a.m.): An earlier version of this article misstated which presidential candidate won California Rep. Ken Calvert’s district in 2020. Former President Donald Trump won the district, not President Joe Biden.