In 2020, taking on the corruption in Washington was once again central to the Democratic message. In 2018 Democrats took back the House by making reform of the corrupt system, along with health care, one of the key elements to its messaging. This led directly to a bold and sweeping anti-corruption bill, the For the People Act (H.R. 1), becoming the first item of business for the new majority. As the Democrats in the House look to expand their majority on the same message, Democrats in the Senate are poised to flip the chamber running the same playbook, and the For the People Act is expected to be a first priority once again with Democrats running both chambers.
End Citizens United and Let America Vote led the charge on that message and helped put candidates across the country in a position to win. In 2020, ECU and LAV:
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Raised $59 million in small dollar, grassroots contributions, including $51 million to ECU, LAV, and it’s state affiliate, Fight for Reform, as well as $8 million directly for its endorsed candidates
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Endorsed 214 federal candidates and 253 state candidates
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Made 39 Independent Expenditures for endorsed candidates
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Built momentum for the no corporate PAC movement with 155 No Corporate PAC candidates on the general election ballot
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Led the charge to protect access to the ballot and invested $3 million in voter information and mobilization programs
ECU and LAV Merge to Take a Holistic Approach to Fighting Corruption
Let America Vote joined ECU’s umbrella of organizations because getting money out of politics and fighting voter suppression are two issues that are intrinsically linked. The Big Money special interests know their agenda is at risk when more people vote. And the politicians in their pockets are rigging the system by opening the floodgates to corporate and special interest money in politics and by suppressing people’s right to vote.
McClatchy: Jason Kander’s voting rights group to merge with anti-Citizens United PAC
We’re fighting back against proposals across the country that make it harder for eligible voters to cast a ballot — whether it’s voter ID requirements, purges of voters from the rolls, voter intimidation, difficult registration processes, or anything that makes voting harder. Because of the unique challenges to voting that covid has brought, along with extreme suppression tactics by President Trump and the Republicans we made a nearly $3 million investment, supporting partner voter protection efforts and through our own initiatives. We launched the SAFE Democracy campaign to protect access to the ballot in response to COVID-19 and later assembled the #SavetheVote campaign to push back on President Trump’s attacks on voting rights.
NBC: Broad coalition of progressive groups launches effort to aid with voting protection
GRASSROOTS FUNDRAISING
End Citizens United raised $59 million during the 2020 cycle. $51 million was raised for ECU and its affiliates, Let America Vote and Fight for Reform as well as an additional $8 million directly for endorsed candidates. The average donation was $14.
Total Raised by Cycle
2016: $25 million
2018: $44 million
2020: $59 million
The movement to unrig our corrupt campaign finance system is clearly growing. ECU has 800,000 donors since it was founded in 2015, including 312,000 new donors this cycle, and it saw a 44% increase in donor growth in 2020 over 2018. Those grassroots donors fuel the work we do fighting Big Money on behalf of everyday Americans.
INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES: THE GRASSROOTS VS BIG MONEY
End Citizens United made 39 independent expenditures on behalf of endorsed candidates in the 2020 cycle. The list includes Senate, House, Gubernatorial, and state legislative races across eighteen states.
End Citizens United also targeted 18 state legislative seats in Arizona, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Texas as well as the Montana Governor’s race.
The content of these ads: Corruption.
We vigorously defended our Reformers at Risk and took the fight directly to incumbent Republican Senators and Representatives who have been loyal foot soldiers in Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell’s war on American democracy.
Maine Senate
Iowa Senate
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In races across the country candidates ran against Washington’s corrupt status quo and tomorrow we will see the voters reward them.
Endorsing Anti-Corruption Candidates
This cycle, End Citizens United endorsed 214 federal candidates, all of whom are committed to passing bold and sweeping anti-corruption reforms along the lines of HR 1, the For the People Act. That includes the Democratic nominee for President, Joe Biden, who has committed to making a major anti-corruption and voting rights bill a first priority of his administration. ECU also endorsed 253 state-level candidates who are pushing for anti-corruption and democracy reforms in their respective states.
The Hill: Biden announces endorsements from End Citizens United, Let America Vote
Momentum for the No Corporate PAC Pledge:
An Indicator that Voters Want Reform
There are several ways a candidate can indicate support for reforming the corrupt system in Washington. Many candidates announced reform platforms and agendas or said anti-corruption should be the first priority for the new Congress. Others highlighted their records fighting to pass HR 1. One of the best indicators that a candidate is serious about taking on the system is their pledge to refuse corporate PAC money.
Roll Call: Some Democrats see political system overhaul as winning 2020 issue
In 2018, Democrats took back the House of Representatives by flipping 40 seats. In 27 of those seats, Democrats nominated bold reformers who refused corporate PAC money and wanted to go to Washington to unrig our broken system. They were more than the difference between winning the House or remaining in the minority. In 2020, Democrats are poised to take the Senate Majority because of the bold reformers rejecting corporate PAC money running in the most competitive races in the country.
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This cycle 155 no corporate PAC candidates advanced to the general election, a growth over the 124 last cycle.
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In 2020, candidates in 11 of the 15 most competitive Senate races don’t take corporate PAC money
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In 2018, only one competitive Senate candidate refused corporate PAC money
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In the 2020 cycle, 84% (32 out of 38) of Red to Blue candidates are rejecting 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 2016 cycle, only 6% of Red to Blue candidates rejected corporate PAC money
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Protecting the Vote and Mobilizing Voters
During the pandemic and President Trump’s unprecedented attacks on voting rights, we knew we would have to adapt. Shortly after merging with Let America Vote in January, we launched the SAFE Democracy and #SavetheVote campaigns.
We’ve run $2.5 million in ads to fight misinformation, ensure polling places are safe and accessible, encourage people to vote, and make sure voters have all of the information they need to cast a ballot. We targeted low propensity voters, and in Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Texas and New Hampshire, our ads drove 56,000 people to websites to learn more about where and how to vote. Additionally, 213,000 of our target low propensity voters cast ballots.
More than 400 volunteers for ECU and LAV have sent more than 4 million texts to protect and improve access to the ballot and to mobilize and activate voters to win key swing races for candidates committed to anti-corruption reforms. ECU and LAV volunteers also supported phone bank programs for 20 state and federal races.
BOTTOM LINE:
Fighting Corruption is Good Policy and Good Politics
Dems Poised for Majorities and to Pass H.R. 1
Fighting corruption is good policy and good politics. The American people consistently reward leaders who will stand up to corruption and fight for reform in Washington. In 2018, after running on reform, every member of the House caucus cosponsored and voted for the For the People Act, which passed on March 8, 2019. The bill has also been cosponsored by every Democrat in the Senate, but has been blocked by Mitch McConnell ever since it passed.
Heading into Election Day, it is clear that Democratic majorities in Congress would not be possible without anti-corruption candidates. The momentum they will carry from this election will set the stage for HR 1. The New York Times has already called for it and Speaker Pelosi said we’re going to have it “right off the bat.”
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