Our Principles PAC is a Republican group that exclusively aired attack ads against Donald Trump during the 2016 election cycle. In their ad “Imagination,” well known Republican leader Mitt Romney talks through traits that he associates with Trump, including dishonesty, bullying, greed, and misogyny. He calls on Republicans to make the right choice, saying “if we Republicans choose Donald Trump as our nominee, the prospects for a safe and prosperous future are greatly diminished.”21 Our Principles PAC takes credit at the end but no political party or candidate can be directly tied to the ad. It is an attack on Trump by a fellow Republican leader designed to avoid reflecting negatively on any of Trump’s competitors as it comes from a third-party group.
21. Our Principles PAC. “Imagination.” Advertisement. ispot.tv, 2016, https://www.ispot.tv/ad/A1Hi/our-principles-pac-imagination.
HI 231- Attack Ads in Presidential Campaigns 