Sarah Wasko / Media Matters
Sean Hannity hasn't just been airing Republican propaganda on his Fox News program -- he’s also been a prominent feature of online GOP advertisements.
The right-wing Fox News host appeared as a “special guest” at a November 5 rally with President Donald Trump in Missouri. He used that night’s program to boost Republicans and afterward campaigned on-stage with the president -- despite his previous pledge that he wouldn’t do so.
Hannity's influence in Republican politics also extends to candidates' ad campaigns. Media Matters searched Facebook’s database of political advertisements and found fourteen Republican campaigns have used Hannity in paid ads since June of this year.
Those candidates are: Texas Sen. Ted Cruz; Florida gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis; New Hampshire congressional candidate Eddie Edwards; Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz; New Jersey congressional candidate Seth Grossman; North Carolina congressional candidate Mark Harris; unsuccessful Virginia congressional candidate Shak Hill; Minnesota Senate candidate Karin Housley; South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster; Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry; Texas state Rep. Dade Phelan; Arizona congressional candidate Wendy Rogers; President Donald Trump; and unsuccessful Arizona Senate candidate Kelli Ward.
The advertisements include messages about Hannity supporting and endorsing candidates, hosting them, and appearing at their events.
In another instance, which is not included in this count, Republican congressional candidate Janice Arnold-Jones of New Mexico paid for an ad that targeted Hannity’s home base of New York and asked the Fox host for “a shout out!”
Ted Cruz
Ron DeSantis
Eddie Edwards
Matt Gaetz
Seth Grossman
Mark Harris
Shak Hill
Karin Housley
Henry McMaster
Scott Perry
Dade Phelan
Wendy Rogers
Donald Trump
Kelli Ward
