Watch CBS News

Pro-Jeb Bush super PAC will begin advertising

Right to Rise, the super PAC supporting former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush in the 2016 presidential race, will begin buying ads Monday to boost Bush's campaign in early primary states.

Spokesman Paul Lindsey told CBS News that the ads will begin in New Hampshire and Iowa on September 15 and go up in South Carolina the following week. They will run through the end of December and cost the super PAC eight figures, or at least $10,000.

He described the ads as the "first phase of our sustained campaign to independently support Jeb Bush."

Right to Rise has been a fundraising juggernaut and announced in the beginning of July it had brought in more than $100 million to support Bush in the first six months of the year. Bush's own campaign raised $11.4 million in the first 16 days of the race. This is the super PAC's first big move in the 2016 race.

Campaign Finance 101: A breakdown of 2016's "game for billionaires" 05:01

The Associated Press, which first reported the ad buy, said that the initial commercials will be positive and focus on promoting Bush's record as Florida governor. Eventually, however, they may begin to criticize Republican rivals or Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton.

Bush's relatively late entry to the race -- he announced his candidacy in mid-June -- allowed him to push the limits on fundraising activities and help raise unlimited funds for his super PAC for several months. Now that he has formally declared himself a candidate, he is not allowed to coordinate with the group.

The ad buy comes as Bush has struggled in early Republican primary polls. Businessman Donald Trump has eclipsed him as the GOP frontrunner by a substantial margin and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has stayed on his heels.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.