So far, Cisneros has placed a buy worth about $60,000, according to her campaign. Cuellar has also booked about $60,000 of TV ads so far, per the media tracking firm AdImpact. Both figures are sure to grow rapidly as March 1 approaches.
But since her first run in 2020, Cisneros has consistently hit Cuellar as too corrupt and beholden to corporate interests. And while she will wait for the investigation to play out before passing judgment, the raid feeds into that general theme. Her campaign has seen an uptick in fundraising, interest from volunteers eager to do voter outreach and increased consternation from voters when they connect with them via phone bank.
“Jessica Cisneros can win, but only if we are able to close the financial gap very quickly. Can you contribute $5 or more now to help us surge to victory?” the text of the ad reads. Meanwhile, Cuellar has begun to see some of his own political support back home shrinking. One pro-Cuellar group — which has disclosed little about itself online — pulled $179,000 worth of ads scheduled through the end of January. And several Democrats predicted there could be more to come without more answers from either Cuellar or the FBI. Still, no Democrats or Democratic-affiliated group have publicly pulled their endorsement.
It’s a set up.