New Q4 reports show that candidates who refuse to take corporate PAC money continue to have widespread success. Democratic Frontline candidates (those defending competitive seats), for the third consecutive year, on average outraised their Frontline counterparts who do not refuse corporate PAC donations.
2021 Average raised:
- Frontline no corporate PAC candidates: $3,323,823
- Frontline non-no corporate candidates: $2,666,424
2020 Average raised:
- Frontline no corporate PAC candidates: $4,474,514
- Frontline non-no corporate candidates: $3,272,476
2019 Average raised:
- Frontline no corporate PAC candidates: $2,304,700
- Frontline non-no corporate PAC members: $1,964,600
Additionally, numerous no corporate PAC candidates’ grassroots, people-powered movements are putting them in a strong position against their Republican opponents. The commitment made by these candidates demonstrates that they answer to the people they represent, not corporate special interests looking to pad their bottom lines. The success of these candidates is also a testament to how much voters want their elected officials to represent their interests, not corporate America’s interests, like fighting to lower health care costs, creating jobs, and rebuilding from the COVID pandemic. See below for examples:
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Senator Mark Kelly in Arizona entered the new year having raised nearly $9 million, a fundraising effort that saw Kelly raise more than the top 5 Republican candidates combined.
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Chief Justice Cheri Beasley in North Carolina remained the top fundraiser in the NC senate race, raising over $2.1 million – from real people, not greedy corporations. Beasley faces several Republican challengers who are engaged in a messy primary battle.
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Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes was able to outraise incumbent Ron Johnson in the last quarter of 2021 in the Wisconsin Senate race. Barnes raised $1.2 million in the last three months of 2021, while Senator Johnson only raised $711,000, taking thousands of corporate PAC dollars, adding to his lifetime total of over $2.5 million in corporate PAC donations.
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Senator Raphael Warnock in Georgia significantly outraised GOP opponent Herschel Walker in 2021. In the 4th quarter, Warnock raised more than $9.8 million, compared to $5.4 million raised by Walker.
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Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger of Virginia’s 7th congressional district also saw fundraising success, raising over $776,000 last quarter and ending 2021 with over $3 million in the bank. Without taking any corporate money, Spanberger has more than ten times the money of any of her GOP challengers in the district.
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Congressman Andy Kim from New Jersey’s 3rd district raised over $750,000 in the final quarter of 2021, and has over $3.3 million in cash on hand, raised from grassroots donors, not corporate PAC money. His closest GOP opponent raised nearly a quarter million less than Congressman Kim.
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Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin from Michigan raised over $950,000, while her corporate-funded, bought-and-paid-for GOP opponent, State Senator Tom Barrett raised only a third of that.
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Congressman Tom Malinowski of New Jersey’s 7th district posted over $900,000 in Q4, all without taking any corporate money, while his GOP opponent, former State Senator Tom Kean Jr. was only able to raise about half of that, while taking money from corporate donors including Koch Industries.
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Congresswomen Kim Schrier of Washington State raised over $1 million, outraising her GOP opponents in a traditionally purple district. The district has been a target of state Republicans, however, Schrier has been able to raise nearly $3 million for her re-election campaign.
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Congressman Chris Pappas of New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District set fundraising records across the board for the district, ending the 4th quarter having raised almost $500,000. Pappas outraised his Republican challengers who also finished the year with large fundraising totals.
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Rep. Peter Welch in Vermont saw fundraising success since announcing his senate campaign in November 2021. Welch raised over $500,000 in his first six weeks, swearing off corporate PAC money for his Senate run.
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