NC-02: Pro-Amnesty group launches ad campaign to defend Ellmers

download (57)A leading pro-amnesty group — founded by several tech industry giants who donate a lot to liberal causes — is coming to the defense of North Carolina congresswoman Renee Ellmers.

“Comprehensive Immigration Reform” is delivering a political beating to the reelection effort of the Second District congresswoman.  She had a high-profile on-air confrontation with nationally-syndicated conservative radio host Laura Ingraham.  Ellmers followed that up with attacking Ingraham on Twitter and enlisting backup from pro-amnesty ImmigrationWorks. 

Americans For A Conservative Direction (ACD)  is a subsidiary of FWD.US — a PAC founded by a group of tech industry giants including Microsoft’s Bill Gates and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg. The group supports pushing “comprehensive immigration reform” through the Congress, and tries to support Republicans and Democrats who share their agenda. 

ACD appears to be coming to Ellmers’ rescue:

  Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-N.C.) is getting a boost on air from the conservative arm of the Mark Zuckerberg-backed group advocating an overhaul of the immigration system.

The radio and television ads from Americans for a Conservative Direction come after a contentious interview last week with Ellmers by radio host Laura Ingraham, who accused the second-term lawmaker of parroting liberal talking points in her defense of immigration reform. The initial ad buy is $150,000 and could be increased, according to a source familiar with the buy.

 

The pair of ads, which will go on air for 10 days starting Tuesday, refer to Ellmers as a “conservative fighter for North Carolina.” The ads open by saying that she backed a balanced budget amendment, favored cutting government spending and worked to protect key military bases in her district, then launch into a defense of her stance on immigration reform.

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Advocates of reform have long viewed Ellmers as a gettable vote on immigration overhaul efforts in Congress. She penned an op-ed in the Fayetteville Observer outlining her position, which includes an “earned legal status” for undocumented immigrants that could be obtained by paying fines, admitting to breaking the law and having their identities identified.

Those stances have earned her a challenger, Frank Roche, in North Carolina’s May 6 primary.[…]