Press Releases

End Citizens United Names Rep. Rodney Davis to “Big Money 20”

Jul 10, 2019

Davis has taken over $2.4 million from corporate PACs over the course of his political career

The Big Money 20 campaign will focus on defeating incumbents who represent a rigged Washington establishment that puts corporate special interests ahead of voters’ needs

In 2018, 82% of “Big Money 20” targets were defeated

Washington, DC –– End Citizens United (ECU) today named Rep. Rodney Davis (IL-13) to the Big Money 20, the group’s top targets to defeat in 2020. ECU’s Big Money 20 campaign is focused on defeating incumbents who benefit most from the corrupt establishment in Washington by showing voters how politicians like Rep. Davis put corporate special interest donors ahead of the people they’re supposed to represent.

“Rodney Davis serves big money, corporate special interests, and the mega-donors who fund his campaigns, not the people of Illinois,” said End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller. “When the special interests need someone to protect their corrupt system, Rodney Davis answers the call. Davis personally worked to stop the most sweeping anti-corruption legislation to be voted on in over a generation because it would curb the influence of money in politics and put an end to the corrupt system he’s benefited from for years. Unlike a real public servant, Davis just focuses on raising money from and working for well-connected insiders in Washington. End Citizens United and our members will defeat Rodney Davis in 2020.”

The Big Money 20 aims to educate voters about incumbents who represent the worst of Washington and rally support for reforming the political system. The members of the Big Money 20 are incumbents who take money from corporate special interests, mega-donors, and industries like Big Pharma and Big Oil and then put those interests ahead of their constituents.

Rodney Davis has never raised more than 7 percent of his campaign funds from grassroots donors. Davis led Republican efforts against the For the People Act, a sweeping anti-corruption bill that would limit the influence of wealthy donors over politicians, prevent foreign money from coming into elections, and create more transparency and accountability in Washington. Davis has been a close friend of corporate donors throughout this career. He took over $96,000 from the pharmaceutical industry, nearly $500,000 from Wall Street and received $262,000 from the oil and gas industry. And Davis has voted to give his corporate donors large tax cuts, including $28 billion to the pharmaceutical industry.

In the 2018 cycle, End Citizens United helped defeat 82% of the Big Money 20 targets. ECU will connect its more than 550,000 members to endorsed candidates who are challenging Big Money 20 targets. For the 2020 cycle, ECU has endorsed Betsy Dirksen Londrigan for Congress in Illinois’ 13th Congressional District.

ECU has conducted extensive polling and research showing that voters across the political spectrum support getting big money out of politics. ECU is a traditional political action committee (PAC) with more than four million members, including 6,800 in Illinois’ 13th Congressional District. ECU raised $44 million in the 2018 last cycle and helped elect 150 members to the 116th Congress, including two new U.S. Senators and 58 new U.S. Representatives. The reform group is entirely grassroots-funded with an average donation of just $14.

For a full list and additional background on the Big Money 20, click here

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