Figures current as of Oct. 25, 2026. Majorities of both Republicans and Democrats say they want tougher rules on political money, according to recent national polls from three organizations. The widest agreement is on donor disclosure, which 85% of Republicans and 88% of Democrats backed in a Brennan Center survey. Support also clears 55% in … Read more
Reading Federal campaign finance law rests on one distinction. Money given directly to candidates is capped by contribution limits, while money spent independently of candidates faces far fewer restrictions. Who may give, how much they may give, and how much the public can learn about them all depend on the type of donor and the … Read more
Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan said Tuesday that her conservative colleagues’ rulings on voting rights, campaign finance and partisan gerrymandering have weakened American democracy and deepened political polarization. She spoke at Catholic University’s law school in Washington, two weeks before the midterm elections. Her remarks put a familiar dispute in unusually direct terms: when courts … Read more
Campaign money in the final weeks is moving toward Republican-held seats once treated as safe, and away from races where a side thinks the outcome is settled. Through October 12, Republican-aligned groups led total congressional ad spending, $1.98 billion to $1.75 billion, while Democrats led in House races, AdImpact reported. Republican groups are adding money … Read more
Reading Who pays for a political ad, and where it appears, decides which rules apply. A candidate’s campaign, a political action committee (PAC), a party and a government agency each follow a different legal track, and television, print and online platforms add more differences. Those tracks are now colliding over taxpayer-funded ads featuring President Donald … Read more
