Why is an Elon Musk-backed PAC running an ad against Republican state legislators?

BISMARCK, N.D. — A group backed by Trump adviser Elon Musk is running ads targeting conservative Republican legislators in several states over their support of a federal drug pricing program. The video ad by Building America’s Future is titled “Trump Underminers.” It focuses on the federal 340B program, saying it “is now a disaster” and to “let Trump fix 340B.” The ad groups together five lawmakers in Kentucky, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Tennessee whom it accuses of trying to mandate expansion of the program. The ad airing on local television says, “Some Republicans in your state are undermining Trump and trying to mandate expansion of 340B.” The message goes on to say the program “helps fund gender transitions for kids, abortion procedures and health care for illegals.” Nebraska state Sen. Brian Hardin, who is named in the ad, said there is no truth to those claims. “We’re not undermining anything that’s taking place in Washington.” Kentucky Republican state Sen. Stephen Meredith said his legislation is not about the 340B program. Tennessee’s Rep. Esther Helton-Haynes said in a statement that the 340B program had “helped health care providers all across the state.” The Republican dismissed the latest ad attacking her support of the program as a tactic to “take attention away from the patients that need assistance.” However, in a move that seemingly acknowledged the Musk-backed ad, Helton-Haynes added to her bill an amendment that stated that her proposal would not conflict with the Republican-led state’s gender-affirming care for minors ban, abortion ban or any immigration laws.