“Good for China, bad for Missouri,” is a line Olympics-watching Missourians might hear frequently this week.
The apparently prolific line will be iterated in dueling ads for two GOP competitors for U.S. Senate.
PACs for attorney General Eric Schmitt and former Gov. Eric Greitens have both put out ads to air starting Friday attacking their opponents over ties to China — a theme that has become prevalent this campaign.
The 30-second spot from Save Missouri Values PAC, which supports Schmitt, plays a clip of Greitens appearing on the China Global Television Network during a 2017 trip to Asia. In the clip, Greitens talks about “the importance we’re placing on the relationship between Missouri and China.”
“Greitens can’t be trusted to be tough on communist China,” the ad said, ending with, “Eric Greitens: Good for China. Bad for Missouri.”
The ad will air on multiple television markets as well as online, coinciding with the start of the Olympic Games hosted in Beijing this year, according to a source.
And TEAM PAC, which supports Greitens, has also released a 30-second spot this week — criticizing Schmitt.
Titled “Mao Money,” the ad said China has gotten so powerful because of “friends like Eric Schmitt.” It ends with: “Eric Schmitt: Good for China. Bad for Missouri.”
While serving in the legislature, Schmitt was a vociferous proponent for a since-defunct plan to use tax credits to entice China to build a hub at the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. Those who supported the plan to build the global cargo hub said it would increase economic development in Missouri.
Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler hasn’t escaped the China brouhaha this election either. Democratic contender Lucas Kunce released an ad late last year criticizing Schmitt, Greitens, and Hartzler.
It accused Hartzler of taking money from a Chinese company’s corporate PAC. (She received $1,000 from Smithfield Foods, a subsidiary of the Chinese WH Group, in 2014.)
Aside from Hartzler, Schmitt, and Greitens, Congressman Billy Long, Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, and attorney Mark McCloskey are vying for the Republican nomination.
Greitens ended 2021 with only $290,400 cash on hand. He brought in more than $246,000 during the fourth quarter but reported $154,000 in debts.
TEAM PAC reported having nearly $2.45 million cash on hand at the end of the last quarter.
Schmitt reported more than $1.27 million cash on hand after bringing in more than $456,000 last quarter. He reported $39,000 in debts.
Save Missouri Values PAC ended the last quarter with nearly $2.42 million cash on hand.
Kaitlyn Schallhorn was the editor in chief of The Missouri Times from 2020-2022. She joined the newspaper in early 2019 after working as a reporter for Fox News in New York City.
Throughout her career, Kaitlyn has covered political campaigns across the U.S., including the 2016 presidential election, and humanitarian aid efforts in Africa and the Middle East.
She is a native of Missouri who studied journalism at Winthrop University in South Carolina. She is also an alumna of the National Journalism Center in Washington, D.C.
Contact Kaitlyn at kaitlyn@themissouritimes.com.
