June 1, 2023

OpenSecrets releases report on out-of-state donations’ rising role

OpenSecrets has released a groundbreaking new report titled “The Nationalization of Political Contributions and the Rising Role of Out-of-State Donations.” The report explores the growing trend of political donors and activists paying attention to races beyond their home states, highlighting the impact of out-of-state contributions on political campaigns.

Watchdog bites Ron DeSantis for alleged “soft money” campaign finance violation

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis may have violated federal campaign finance law when his old state-level PAC reportedly transferred tens of millions of dollars to the pro-DeSantis super PAC Never Back Down, the nonpartisan watchdog Campaign Legal Center alleges in a new complaint with the Federal Election Commission filed Tuesday morning.

Independent Sen. Krysten Sinema continues using liberal platforms to fundraise for 2024 reelection campaign

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) announced her departure from the Democratic Party last December, but the first-term U.S. senator still uses platforms typically utilized by Democrats and progressives to raise money for her 2024 reelection campaign, which has yet to be formally announced. 

This chart from our new report on the rising role out-of-state donations’ on our elections shows federal candidates who raised the most money from out-of-state donors.

The first group, shown above, includes candidates like Amy McGrath and Theresa Greenfield, who generated enthusiasm among Democrats nationwide by running against polarizing incumbent Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) respectively but were generally seen as long-shot candidates. This group also includes candidates in high-profile competitive races like Sens. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) who attracted widespread attention due to the potential national consequences for their races.

The candidates taking the most money from in-state donors look essentially like the opposite of the above candidates. They tend to be either candidates running in large, safe states or long-shot candidates who have little chance of winning and don’t garner national attention.

See our media citations from outlets around the nation this week:

Debt Deal Includes a Green Light for a Contentious Pipeline (New York Times)

One of the companies behind the pipeline, NextEra Energy, is a major donor to Mr. Schumer and Mr. Manchin. In the 2022 cycle, NextEra’s employees and political action committees gave $302,600 to Mr. Schumer and $60,350 to Mr. Manchin, according to OpenSecrets.

Coinbase, Binance and Other Crypto Firms Bolstered Their Lobbying Efforts Last Year (WSJ)

U.S. crypto firms boosted lobbying spending in the U.S. last year, following a rise in crypto asset prices and during a series of company collapses. Forex Suggest, using data from research group OpenSecrets, found that crypto companies spent $11.9 million last year on U.S. lobbying efforts, up from $7.7 million in 2021.

Nikki Haley slams foreign lobbyists while accepting funds from them (ABC News)

"It is not uncommon for presidential contenders to make promises rejecting campaign contributions from foreign lobbyists before ultimately accepting them -- though some politicians have refunded money from foreign lobbyists after media backlash," Anna Massoglia, editorial and investigations manager at the nonpartisan research group OpenSecrets.org, told ABC News.

WBUR

CNBC

CNN

The Guardian

The Lever

Sludge

CBS News

Truthout

CNBC

Responsible Statecraft

OpenSecrets
1100 13th Street, NW
Suite 800
Washington, DC xxxxxx
United States

If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please 

unsubscribe.