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Democratic dark money coming to NC

After a conservative group has spent millions of dollars on ads critical of U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, a group allied with Democrats will enter the fray on behalf of the first-term incumbent.

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Sen. Kay Hagan, D-NC
RALEIGH, N.C. — More money will be coming into the U.S. Senate race next week, this time on behalf of Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan. 
Hagan, a first term incumbent facing re-election this year, has been pilloried by some $7 million in ads by Americans for Prosperity, a conservative group that has been critical of her vote in support of the Affordable Care Act.
As first reported by Politico, Patriot Majority USA is about to counter with ads on behalf of Hagan. Ty Mastdorf, a spokesman for the group, confirmed they would spend $500,000 on ads backing Hagan, starting next week. 
Patriot Majority is a 501(c)4 group, the same sort of organization as Americans for Prosperity. These type of social welfare nonprofits can shield their donors from public disclosure. In theory, less than half of their work must be political, but those rules are poorly defined
This will not be the first time an outside spender has come into the state on Hagan's behalf. Senate Majority PAC aired an ad in December attacking state House Speaker Thom Tillis, who is leading the GOP field vying for the chance to take on Hagan. Still, AFP's spending alone is at least seven times what Democratic allies say they are putting into the race thus far.

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