A conservative group plans to launch an ad campaign in four states with Democratic senators Monday night immediately after President Trump announces his new Supreme Court nominee in a prime-time address.
The Judicial Crisis Network will spend $1.4 million on national cable, digital ads supporting the nominee in Alabama, Indiana, North Dakota, and West Virginia, featuring an introductory biography about the jurist.
Mr. Trump is set to announce his selection at 9 p.m. at the White House to replace retiring Justice Anthony M. Kennedy.
The president is said to have narrowed his choice to four federal appeals court judges: Thomas Hardiman, 53, of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals; Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Amy Coney Barrett, 46; Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Raymond Kethledge, 51; and District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Brett Kavanaugh, 53.
The JCN ad will run for one week. It has already reserved another four weeks of airtime nationally and in the four states, the group said....
All of the four states were carried by Mr. Trump in 2016. In three of the states targeted, incumbent Democratic senators are running for reelection this year: Sen. Joe Donnelly in Indiana, Sen. Heidi Heitkamp in North Dakota and Sen. Joe Manchin III in West Virginia. Democratic Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama faces reelection in 2020.