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Conservative Groups Plan to Spend Close to $400 Million by November

From Friday, but still worth noting, is a rather comprehensive list compiled by the Think Progress blog of all the monetary pledges conservative groups have

Jul 31, 20202.2K Shares560.7K Views
From Friday, but still worth noting, is a rather comprehensive listcompiled by the Think Progress blog of all the monetary pledges conservative groups have made for spending in the upcoming November election:
Chamber of Commercehas pledged to spend $75 million
American Crossroadshas pledged to spend $52 million
Americans for Prosperityhas pledged to spend $45 million
Republican State Leadership Committeehas pledged to spend $40 million
American Action Networkhas pledged to spend $25 million
American Future Fundhas pledged to spend up to $25 million
Club for Growthhas pledged to spend at least $24 million
National Republican Trust PAChas pledged to spend at least $20 million
– An unnamed health insurance industry coalitionhas pledged to spend $20 million
National Rifle Associationhas pledged to spend $20 million
Faith and Freedom Coalitionhas pledged to spend $11 million
FreedomWorkshas pledged to spend $10 million
Americans for Job Securityhas pledged to spend $10 million
Susan B. Anthony Listhas pledged to spend $6 million
Our Country Deserves Better (Tea Party Express)has already spent $5 million
Tax Relief Coalitionhas already spent $4 million
Republican Majority Campaignhas pledged to spend $3 million
Campaign for Working Familieshas pledged to spend $2 million
Heritage Action for Americahas pledged to spend $1 million
Financial Services Roundtablehas already spent $0.5 million
Family Research Councilhas raised $0.5 million
Citizens United Political Victory Fundhas pledged to spend $0.2 million
TOTAL: $399.2 million
Again, these numbers, while staggering, represent what these groups saythey will spend, rather than what they have or necessarily will end up doing. There’s an interesting irony here in that both the conservative groups in question and left-wing blogs like Think Progress have an interest in touting these numbers. The groups’ spokesmen brag about them as a means of signaling strength and popular momentum being on their side, while liberals view them as further evidence that conservative special interests are buying the election.
There’s clearly some merit to both claims, but a lot hinges upon the profile of the average individual donor. With caps on individual and corporate donations to independent political expenditures lifted by the Supreme Court, and no DISCLOSE Act to get a sense of most groups’ major donors, however, suspicions abound that wealthy individuals play an outsize role in funding a majority of these groups.
Hajra Shannon

Hajra Shannon

Reviewer
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