A super PAC bankrolled by the Koch Brothers network is blaming Nevada Democratic Senate candidate Catherine Cortez Masto for driving Uber out of the state.  

The ad, which is sponsored by the Freedom Partners Action Fund, blames Cortez Masto, who was the state’s attorney general at the time, for filing three restraining orders against the private ride-sharing company after receiving contributions from the taxi cab industry.  

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“Not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to keep a nine-to-five job,” a release from the group stated. “The flexibility of Uber offered Nevadans the opportunity to work on their own schedule at a time when every bit mattered.”

The Cortez Masto campaign dismissed the ad’s claims, saying in a statement  that, at the time, ride-sharing companies were operating in the state without a license, and that her office was requested by Nevada’s Transportation Authority to “enforce the law to protect passenger safety.”  

The statement also noted that ride-sharing companies later sought licensing through the state legislative process and now operate legally in Nevada. Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval signed legislation  last year making Uber legal there.  

Freedom Partners Action Fund announced last week that it would spend  $1.2 million on the advertising targeting Cortez Masto in Nevada. The three-week ad campaign starts Wednesday, the Associated Press reported.  

According to Federal Election Commission documents, the group has spent more than $2.2 million on the Nevada Senate race to date.   

Cortez Masto is running against Republican Rep. Joe Heck for retiring Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid’s seat. The Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report /Roll Call rates the race a Tossup .

Contact Garcia at 


EricGarcia@cqrollcall.com


 and follow him on Twitter 


@EricMGarcia

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