Conservative group backs AOC primary challenger Marty Dolan with Times Square billboards, $100K in media promos

By Josh Christenson, New York Post

Published June 19, 2024, 12:34 p.m. ET

A conservative small business advocacy group is getting behind far-left Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Democratic primary opponent, spending $100,000 in promotional media attacking the far-left “Squad” member — including billboards in Times Square.

In backing former Wall Street investor Marty Dolan, the Texas-based Job Creators Network is endorsing a Democrat for the first time to call out the Bronx and Queens representative’s “threat to American small businesses.”

Wednesday morning, billboards in Times Square were already blaring messages funded by the nonprofit that accused Ocasio-Cortez of ignoring “rising crime,” “illegal immigration chaos,” “skyhigh [sic] grocery prices,” “out of control energy costs” and embracing “defunding police.”

“Hey AOC!” one of the billboards reads. “Time to pack it up. Vote Democrat. Martin Dolan now!”Matthew McDermott

“Hey AOC!” the billboard read. “Time to pack it up. Vote Democrat. Martin Dolan now!” “P.S. Too bad you pushed out 25,000 Amazon jobs ‘cuz you’re about to need one!” another billboard snarked.

The three-term congresswoman will be defending her 14th Congressional District seat in the June 25 primary, the winner of which is expected to easily win the Nov. 5 general election to rep the deep-blue district.

The Texas-based Job Creators Network is endorsing a Democrat for the first time — former Wall Street investor Marty Dolan — to call out the Bronx and Queens representative’s “threat to American small businesses.”

“AOC is a threat to American small businesses and America’s way of life,” Job Creators Network CEO Alfredo Ortiz told The Post. “Her policies are responsible for the crime, migrant, and economic crises burdening her constituents in New York and around the nation.”

“Democrat Marty Dolan is a much-needed voice of moderation that will help small businesses and working families in New York City and beyond,” he added. “New York City residents looking to stop the bleeding and undo AOC’s damage should vote for Dolan now.”

The billboards were paid for through a super PAC connected to the Job Creators Network, known as the Keep America America Action Fund.

The three-term congresswoman will be defending her 14th Congressional District seat for the June 25 primary, the winner of which is expected to easily win election in the deep-blue district for the November general election.

The group’s spending will cover additional social and digital media hitting the progressive congresswoman.

Dolan, 66, initially planned on a primary challenge against Bronx and Westchester Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) — but opted in March to try and unseat Ocasio-Cortez over her “radical policies.”

“We are all for the ‘progress’ implied by the word ‘Progressive,’” he said when launching his campaign. “However, within the Progressive movement, there are Radicals whose influence on the Democratic Party is overweight.”

Amazon had planned on getting $3 billion in tax incentives to install a second headquarters in Queens — but backed out after facing backlash from Ocasio-Cortez and local politicians.

“The impact in NYC is obvious: bail reform a disaster, the National Guard in the subway, toothpaste locked up in drugstores but criminals running free, scarce resources directed to (non-sanctuary) immigrants coming from all over the world,” he added.

Dolan is a political newcomer — but Ortiz said his “support of a commonsense tax system gives the country a much better chance of extending the [Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017], which expires next year, than AOC.”

In his campaign launch announcement, Dolan highlighted a “runaway $34 trillion federal debt and NYC’s 14% marginal tax rate” as “difficulties [that] must be addressed.”

Dolan is a political newcomer — but Ortiz said his “support of a commonsense tax system gives the country a much better chance of extending the [Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017], which expires next year, than AOC.”

Amazon was due to get $3 billion in tax incentives to install a second headquarters in Queens — but backed out after opposition from Ocasio-Cortez and local politicians.

Last month, the 34-year-old ducked a debate request from her little-known challenger and is massively outraising Dolan in campaign contributions.

The congresswoman’s principal campaign committee has $5 million cash on hand, according to federal finance filings, whereas Dolan’s campaign recorded just a little more than $6,700 after loaning $255,500 of his own money.

A spokesperson for the Ocasio-Cortez campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.