EXCLUSIVE — A conservative group is hitting out against Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) over his support for a proposed menthol cigarette ban despite concerns such a move would negatively affect the economy and have a disproportionate impact on communities of color.
The Liberty Policy Foundation launched the six-figure ad campaign on Monday, specifically targeting black voters who disapprove of President Joe Biden, small-business owners, and independent voters. The ad is being launched on a new website, BrownsBan.com, building on previous efforts to nationalize the topic ahead of the 2024 elections.
In crafting the ad campaign, the Liberty Policy Foundation consulted with Republican and Democratic strategists, a source familiar with the process told the Washington Examiner. The conservative nonprofit group then plans to use data tracking to determine how to utilize the messaging best ahead of the November election.
“Sen. Sherrod Brown has taken a position to the left of the Biden administration on criminalizing tobacco,” an adviser to the Liberty Policy Foundation said. “We will make sure Ohioans are aware of the disastrous impact this ban would have, especially on small businesses.”
The ad campaign marks the latest efforts from Republicans to elevate the issue topic, following similar attacks from Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), and Marco Rubio (R-FL). Republicans have long pushed back against the proposed ban, with a handful of Democratic lawmakers also coming out in opposition as the FDA nears its decision.
The Biden administration is expected to make the long-awaited announcement on whether to implement a menthol cigarette ban, a ruling that has been delayed amid political pushback from key voting groups. Lawmakers and advocacy groups alike have criticized the proposal, arguing it would lead to an increase in illicit sales as well as inconsistent enforcement.
The Food and Drug Administration first floated a proposal to implement a ban on menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars in spring 2021. However, the Biden administration has delayed greenlighting the proposal due to pushback from certain voter groups — making it unclear if the decision will be made ahead of the November election.
Opponents of the ban have argued such restrictions would negatively affect the economy at a time when businesses are already dealing with rising costs and inflation. Cigarettes account for nearly 30% of all sales in convenience stores and over 10% of those stores’ gross margins, according to data from the National Association of Convenience Stores. Those numbers have contributed over $54 billion to the industry.
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The emerging opposition could spell trouble for Biden as he seeks reelection this year, especially because Hispanic and black voters are two key voting blocs that Democrats typically rely on. Republican political operatives have signaled they plan to use the topic as campaign fodder during the 2024 cycle, planning to use the proposed menthol ban to compare it to the Biden administration’s softening on marijuana possession.
The Washington Examiner contacted Brown’s campaign but did not receive a response.