DraftKings money funneled through super PACs is buying ads in Cabarrus election
A Republican Senate primary in Cabarrus County has escalated into accusations of secret liberal ties, overspending and gambling-backed “dark money.”
Mailers, television ads and text messages funded by the American Conservative Fund accuse Sen. Chris Measmer of being a “tax-and-spend RINO,” overseeing “skyrocketing” county spending and contradicting himself on economic incentives. Measmer calls the ads desperate lies, while his opponent, former Rep. Kevin Crutchfield, says his campaign has not coordinated with the group and is running a race focused on positive messaging.
The Charlotte Observer used federal campaign finance filings to trace the funding to DK Crown Holdings Inc., the parent of gambling company DraftKings.
Measmer was appointed to the Senate in April. He and Crutchfield will face each other in the March 3 Republican primary race for the District 34 state Senate seat, which covers most of Cabarrus County. The winner will face Democrat April Cook in the general election.
“I have consistently voted for Republican policies to reduce taxes and regulations, for transparency and have earned endorsements from statewide organizations for those votes,” Measmer said in a statement to The Charlotte Observer. “I have a solid conservative record and there isn’t a political ad that can change that.”
What are the claims made in the ads?
The political ads label Measmer a RINO, a disparaging term used by conservatives, which means “Republican in name only.” They accuse Measmer of supporting “extreme liberal economic policies,” and “skyrocketing” government spending during his time as a Cabarrus County commissioner. One mailer cites county budget figures increasing from roughly $251 million to nearly $497 million during his tenure.
Measmer disputes the characterization, saying he voted against the tax increases while county commissioner and twice worked to reduce the county’s overall spending.
The mailers also claim Measmer “voted to increase our taxes” in Raleigh, citing Senate Bill 235. According to Measmer’s campaign, the cited bill was filed but never received a vote.
“The PAC knows most people do not check citations,” his campaign spokesperson Laura Macklem told the Observer, noting the bill referenced was an appropriations measure for an equipment purchase.
Another claim focuses on economic development incentives. A campaign text message paid for by the American Conservative Fund says Measmer previously called tax incentives “extreme liberal policies” and later “voted to hand over hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars in incentives to a California corporation.”
Measmer says the vote in question involved a broader measure — House Bill 125 — that included hurricane relief funding, funding for a second DMV in Cabarrus County, increased public school funding and state incentives tied to JetZero, which is building an airplane factory in Greensboro.
“It would have been irresponsible to vote against the mini-budget,” Measmer said.
The ads also say Measmer supported a Democrat backed by former President Joe Biden and Planned Parenthood. Macklem said the $100 donation was made more than 10 years ago at the request of a childhood friend and does not reflect his current record. The Democrat Measmer donated to is former state Rep. Brian Farkas, who was elected in 2020 to represent North Carolina District 9. Farkas lost his race for the seat in 2015, the year Measmer donated.
In his response, Measmer emphasized his endorsements from conservative organizations including the NRA, North Carolina Association of Gun Rights, NC Values Coalition, Americans for Prosperity and Grassroots North Carolina.
Where are the ads coming from?
The ads and mailers are funded by the American Conservative Fund. Measmer’s campaign has characterized the group as “an out-of-state dark money PAC with close ties to DraftKings and gambling special interests.”
Federal Election Commission filings show American Conservative Fund is funded entirely by another political group called Win for America, which is entirely funded by DK Crown Holdings, Inc.
DraftKings did not respond to multiple email requests seeking comment.
American Conservative Fund and Win for America also are super PACs, which are allowed to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money on independent political advertising.
Macklem said Measmer is opposed to a casino in Cabarrus County, while Crutchfield sponsored pro-gambling legislation while in office. Crutchfield was one of 55 sponsors of 2023’s House Bill 347, which was signed into law by former Gov. Roy Cooper and legalized online sports betting in the state. And DraftKings is among the companies offering sports betting in the state.
“The lies about Senator Measmer are clearly rooted in desperation from the gambling industry,” Macklem said. “This campaign for Kevin Crutchfield makes us wonder, why is the gambling industry so invested in this race? What do they have planned for Cabarrus?”
What does Crutchfield say?
Crutchfield said in an email to the Observer he has no relationship with American Conservative Fund and has not communicated with it. He said voters should be able to clearly distinguish between candidate messaging and PAC spending.
“I have not seen all these ads that have been put out on my behalf. Some I agree with, some I do not,” he said.
While distancing himself from the messaging, Crutchfield said he believes there are inconsistencies about Measmer’s record on incentives.
“My opponent has said on multiple occasions that incentives are a bad Democrat policy, yet when he was appointed to serve in Raleigh, he voted to approve the largest economic tax incentive package in NC history,” he said.
Crutchfield said he has long supported economic development incentives and cited the Eli Lilly pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Cabarrus County as an example of their impact.
“These grants are not given freely,” he said. “It is key we hold businesses accountable for resources they use, while also helping relieve the tax burden on citizens.”
Crutchfield said his campaign is running a race focused on “building bridges” and prioritizing people over politics. He called Measmer when campaigning started, he said, and vowed to avoid running a “negative campaign.”
“Today the political arena is ripe with political tensions and misinformation. However, our campaign is focused on sharing my record and vision for the district,” Crutchfield said. “We are running a positive campaign, because voters deserve a respectful conversation about the issues that matter.”
This story was originally published February 28, 2026 at 11:56 AM.
