In total, nearly 300 Democratic candidates rejecting corporate PAC money ran this cycle
With the last of the 2020 primaries in the books, 155 no corporate PAC candidates have won their primaries and advanced to the general election. The movement to forgo corporate PAC money, which took off in the 2018 cycle and led to passage of the largest anti-corruption and reform bill since Watergate, has become a major campaign platform in races throughout the country.
The decision to refuse corporate PAC money and run reform-focused campaigns has manifested itself at all levels of these campaigns, including campaign ads, policy proposals, fundraising, town halls and debates.
155 No Corporate PAC Candidates Have Advanced to the General Election
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45 Incumbents
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3 Senate Incumbents
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42 House Incumbents
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110 Challengers
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11 Senate Challengers
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99 House challengers
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Note: These figures do not include the special election/primaries in GA and LA which are held on Election Day.
Major Growth in Senate Races
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In 2018, only one competitive Senate candidate refused corporate PAC money
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In 2020, candidates in 11 of the 15 most competitive Senate races don’t take corporate PAC money
82% of Candidates on the DCCC’s Red to Blue List are Rejecting Corporate PAC Money
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In the 2016 cycle, only 6% of Red to Blue candidates rejected corporate PAC money
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In the 2018 cycle, 72% of Red to Blue candidates rejected corporate PAC money
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In the 2020 cycle, 82% (28 out of 34) of Red to Blue candidates are rejecting corporate PAC money
No Corporate PAC Frontline Member Fundraising through Q2 of 2020
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In Q2, candidates rejecting corporate PAC money in battleground districts outraised candidates who accepted the money by an average of $163,300
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This is the sixth consecutive quarter of the 2020 cycle where DCCC Frontline Members rejecting corporate PAC contributions outraised Frontline Members who accept them
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For the 2020 cycle overall, no corporate PAC Frontline Members outraised Members who don’t refuse corporate PAC money by an average of $516,800
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Seven of the ten highest raising Frontliners reject corporate PAC money
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Eight no corporate PAC Frontline Members raised over $1 million
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