Backroads PAC targets ‘Duck District’

Backroads PAC, the political action committee Tedra Cobb founded to support Democratic congressional candidates in rural areas, has backed its first challenger — Jeff Sites, a forklift operator from Lima, Ohio, who is challenging Rep. Jim Jordan, a Republican who co-founded the conservative House Freedom Caucus.

Jordan represents Ohio’s 4th Congressional District, often called the “Duck District” because of its unique shape that some say was drawn to provide a Republican enrollment advantage.

Backroads PAC contributed $1,000 to Sites campaign in June, and endorsed his candidacy on his campaign Facebook page.

Backroads PAC also contributed $1,000 to incumbent Democratic Rep. Susan Wild in June, who is running for re-election in a Lehigh Valley Pennsyvania district that The Morning Call of Allentown says is the most competitive seat in Congress.

Backroads PAC had $271,190 in revenue this year, as of July 31, including $199,497 in contributions, according to reports the PAC filed with the Federal Election Commission .

The rest was in discounted or in kind services from vendors.

53.3 percent of contributions were from so-called “small dollar” un-itemized contributions of less than $200 each.

The PAC had spent $206,884 on operations, as of July 31, and had $94,884 on hand for continued operations and candidate support.

The PAC spent $58,100 for polling.

Cobb, who unsuccessfully challenged Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, in 2018 and 2020, had received $6,000 in consulting fees and $9,000 in health insurance stipends, as of July 31.