Public data secures our independence

July 4th celebrations will look a little different this year due to the cancellation of many traditional events like parades and cookouts. But the election isn’t canceled and the foundations of our democracy endure. The 2020 primaries taking place across the country are a testament to its resiliency, and the Center for Responsive Politics stands for your right to know who’s attempting to influence our elections.

As a non-partisan watchdog, we take our independence seriously. For 35+ years CRP has provided voters the freedom to access reliable data on money in politics. From megadonors like the ten families who account for $220 million in outside spending so far this election cycle, to trends in small-donor activity shaping the presidential race, we track it all.

This year — as critical discussions about racial equity and representative government take place at online town halls and socially distant backyard barbeques across the country — we’re expanding the scope of our project examining candidate race and gender and their intersection with money in politics. CRP has been tracking candidate and donor gender data for over two decades. This project launched in 2018, adding new research, analysis and visual tools, and critical data to help address the gatekeeping that people marginalized by racism and sexism face while running for office.

It will be a heavy lift to keep the public informed about money’s influence in this election. Your support helps us provide comprehensive datasets on money-in-politics at a pivotal time for our republic — so that we the people can make independent choices about who will represent us in government.

From all of us at OpenSecrets we hope you are able to spend the 4th celebrating our democracy and all that unites us as a nation. We appreciate your critical support in 2020.