Democratic Super PAC Reports $251,662 in Billboards Backing Van Drew's Challenger, FEC Filing Shows
A super PAC tied to the Democratic group American Bridge has reported spending $251,662.94 on billboards supporting Cape May Mayor Zack Mullock, the Democrat challenging Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew in New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District, according to Federal Election Commission records. The Digital Free Press asked AB PAC and both campaigns about the spending. None of them responded to TDFP's request for comment by deadline.
The spending appears on a 48-hour report of independent expenditures that AB PAC filed with the FEC on Oct. 7. It lists three items supporting Mullock, each marked as an estimated cost with a public distribution date of Oct. 5: $228,988.19 to AdQuick for billboard advertising, $22,295 to Lamar Companies for billboard advertising, and $379.75 to Berni Consulting LLC for production.
FEC data show it is the largest outside spending reported for or against either general-election candidate in the district this cycle. The FEC lists AB PAC as a hybrid PAC, a super PAC that can also hold a separate contribution account, based in Washington.
A NATIONAL BILLBOARD PUSH
The New Jersey billboards are one piece of a much larger national buy. The same Oct. 7 filing reports billboard and related spending for dozens of Democratic House and Senate candidates across the country, and American Bridge announced a $22.7 million push in roughly 80 races, focused mainly on billboards about rising costs, as reported Oct. 8 by the newsletter 303 News. The Mullock items are among the larger House entries in that filing.
A second group has also spent in the race. Voice of the Electorate, a hybrid PAC based in Tempe, Arizona, reported $50,783.25 in "media" supporting Mullock on Oct. 6, paid to Nexxen, a video advertising company, according to its own FEC report. The filing does not say what the ads are or where they run.
On the other side, FEC records show only small outside spending in the race: $1,059.61 in printing and postage supporting Van Drew from New Jersey Right to Life's federal PAC. No outside group has reported spending against Van Drew this cycle, according to the FEC.
Every item on AB PAC's report carries the standard certification that the spending was "not made in cooperation, consultation, or concert with, or at the request or suggestion of, any candidate or authorized committee." Super PACs may spend unlimited amounts on independent ads but may not coordinate with campaigns.
WHAT THE FILINGS DON'T SAY
FEC reports list vendors and amounts, not locations or wording. The filing does not say where the NJ-2 billboards stand, how many there are or what they say. TDFP found no public photo of an AB PAC billboard in the district. Because the expenditures are filed as support for Mullock, it is not clear from the record whether the boards promote him, criticize Van Drew or both.
WHAT TDFP ASKED AB PAC, VAN DREW AND MULLOCK
On Oct. 13, TDFP emailed AB PAC's press office with a deadline of 5 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, Oct. 14:
1. Where are the NJ-2 billboards, how many are there, and what do they say? Do they name Rep. Van Drew?
2. How long will they run, and does AB PAC plan more spending in NJ-2 before Nov. 3?
3. Why did AB PAC add this district to its billboard program?
AB PAC did not respond to TDFP's request for comment by deadline.
TDFP asked the Van Drew campaign whether the congressman has a response to the outside spending and whether the campaign plans to answer it with its own ads before Nov. 3. The Van Drew campaign did not respond to TDFP's request for comment by deadline.
TDFP asked the Mullock campaign whether it has a comment on the outside spending and whether Mullock agrees with the message on the billboards. The Mullock campaign did not respond to TDFP's request for comment by deadline.
Van Drew, a former Democrat who switched to the Republican Party in 2019, has represented the district since 2019. The district covers much of South Jersey, including Atlantic City and Cape May. Election Day is Nov. 3.
If you have seen an AB PAC billboard in South Jersey, send a photo and its location to TDFP.
Hold Everyone Accountable.
Sources: AB PAC FEC Form 24 48-hour report, filed Oct. 7, 2026 (FEC file no. 2018051); Voice of the Electorate FEC 48-hour report, filed Oct. 7, 2026 (file no. 2017807); FEC independent expenditure data for NJ-2 candidates, read Oct. 14, 2026.
Images: Cover shows the American Bridge 21st Century logo over the Atlantic City Boardwalk (photo: Tdorante10, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons). In-post graphic: The Digital Free Press (billboard photo: Tomwsulcer, CC0, Wikimedia Commons; a generic billboard, not an AB PAC ad).
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