Sherrod Brown hit with advertising in Ohio over menthol cigarette ban – Washington Examiner
A right-wing nonprofit organization has launched a 30-second digital advertisement targeting Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) over his support for a proposed ban on menthol cigarettes. Shared exclusively with the Washington Examiner, the ad from Building America’s Future accuses Brown and other Democrats of neglecting pressing issues like inflation and housing. It urges voters to reject what it calls the Democrats’ “out of touch agenda” come November.
This advertisement is part of a broader Republican strategy to link the proposed menthol ban to the Biden administration, aiming to sway Black voters in key swing states. Previous ads, such as one from the Liberty Policy Foundation, have also used similar messaging against Brown. Polling indicates that while Black voters currently lean toward the Democrats, their support could diminish if they perceive a disconnect regarding the menthol ban, especially since a significant majority of Black adult smokers use menthol cigarettes.
The FDA had proposed the menthol cigarette ban in 2021, but its implementation has been delayed amid concerns about its potential impacts on Black communities. Brown has previously championed legislation addressing youth tobacco use, including a ban on flavored tobacco products like menthol. His Senate seat is considered competitive as Republican candidates aim to capitalize on voter sentiments in Ohio, a state that leaned towards Donald Trump in previous elections.
Sherrod Brown hit with advertising in Ohio over menthol cigarette ban
EXCLUSIVE — A right-wing nonprofit organization launched a 30-second digital ad targeting Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) over his support of a proposed menthol cigarettes ban, the latest attack from Republicans as Brown’s seat is one of the most competitive seats in the 2024 cycle.
The ad, released Monday by Building America’s Future and shared exclusively with the Washington Examiner, accuses Brown and other Democrats of ignoring inflation and housing problems and instead focusing on a menthol ban.
“We’ve got bigger problems to deal with, and so do they,” the ad says. “This November, reject the Democrats out of touch agenda.”
The ad comes after Republicans worked to tie Harris to the Biden administration’s support for a proposed menthol cigarette ban to win over black voters in swing states. A similar ad from the Liberty Policy Foundation attacking Brown over a proposed menthol ban came out in February.
Polling conducted by the GOP-leaning Tyson Group shows Harris leading former President Donald Trump among black voters in states such as Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, and Wisconsin — but that support would wane if Harris supported a menthol ban.
The Food and Drug Administration floated a proposal to implement a ban on menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars in spring 2021. However, the Biden administration delayed the ban in April.
Many black community leaders have argued against the ban, claiming it could give police more reasons to target black people. About 81% of black adult smokers used menthol cigarettes in 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, compared to 34% of white adult smokers.
Brown led Senate Democrats in introducing the Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act of 2020 to curb the rise in tobacco and electronic cigarette usage among youth. Among the provisions would be to prohibit flavored tobacco products, including menthol.
Brown’s seat is rated a “toss-up” by the Cook Political Report, with the state likely to stay in Trump’s hands in November. The former president won Ohio by eight points twice in the last two presidential cycles, but Brown, a three-term incumbent, has long survived GOP attempts to unseat him since he took office in 2006.
The senator faces Bernie Moreno in November, whom GOP supporters are confident can oust Brown this fall due to his competitive primary win and large fundraising hauls. Republicans are widely outspending Democrats in Ohio despite Brown’s early ad attacks. The Cook Political Report noted that from now until Election Day, which is less than 30 days away, Republicans will spend $94.2 million compared to Democrats’ $74.3 million.
Internal polling from the National Republican Senatorial Committee shared with The Hill found Moreno and Brown are deadlocked at 46% support. The same poll had Brown leading by 7 percentage points in April, with the lead diminishing to 2 percentage points in September.
The Washington Examiner reached out to Brown’s campaign for comment.
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