A national school choice super PAC is taking a particular interest in two Idaho legislative races.

The American Federation for Children’s AFC Victory Fund on Friday reported $50,000 in broadcast advertising to oppose District 23 House Seat A candidate Melissa Durrant and District 8 Senate candidate Megan Blanksma.

Durrant is running against Rep. Chris Bruce, R-Kuna, and Blanksma is running against Sen. Christy Zito, R-Mountain Home.

The AFC Victory Fund’s ad blitz comes shortly after its parent organization reported $45,000 in lobbying expenses to support Bruce and Zito.

With the lobbying totals and Friday’s independent expenditure report, it is clear which race is most important to the American Federation for Children: The group wants to re-elect Bruce and fight off Durrant.

Durrant took the brunt of the $50,000 in broadcast ads, with a total of $27,500 in opposition, and Bruce lead the lobbying spending, with a total of $33,422 in support through direct mailings, social media and text messages.

Their May 19 primary is a rematch, and it was close two years ago.

Bruce, a fervent school choice supporter, beat Durrant by just 83 votes in the 2024 primary. The Idaho Federation for Children PAC in 2024 played a big role in that election, spending $80,655 in independent expenditures to oppose Durrant.

In the District 8 Senate race, Zito told EdNews in March that she is in favor of increasing the $50 million cap on the Parental Choice Tax Credit, which offers $5,000 per student to cover non-public school tuition, or $7,500 for students with disabilities.

“There have been over 6,000 families apply for that tax credit,” Zito said in March. “And it’s a tax credit, and it’s less than it costs to educate a child in public education.”

Blanksma is one of two candidates challenging Zito. In a March interview, Blanksma said the tax credit primarily benefits families in the Treasure Valley and not those who live in the expansive rural district Zito represents.

Friday’s independent expenditure report is confirmation that the American Federation for Children will still be pouring money into Idaho’s elections this year, even after the group in early April terminated the Idaho Federation for Children PAC.

AFC national press secretary Brian Jodice told EdNews that shutting down its Idaho fundraising arm and instead using its national super PAC, the AFC Victory Fund, makes for a more “clean operation.”

“We’re active in a lot of states across the country,” Jodice told EdNews in early April. “Obviously, Idaho we’ve cared deeply about over the last few years, specifically, over the last year getting that school choice program stood up.”