Who's Donating to Your Candidate?

With the midterm elections around the corner, it's important to know who is funding your candidate's campaigns. Large donations can sway your candidate in one way or another, so it’s crucial to see who is behind their campaign, actions, plans, and goals. 

The leading way to track money in U.S. politics is through OpenSecrets, a nonpartisan, independent, nonprofit organization.

What is OpenSecrets?

• Since 1983, OpenSecrets has tracked the flow of money in American politics and its effect on elections, public policy, and democracy. The organization works hands-on with the data, processing, researching, and updating it when needed. Nearly all data originates from an official government source, while campaign finance data comes from the Federal Election Commission. 
• On OpenSecrets, you can find data on who, or what, candidates and officeholders accept money from, information on elections and fundraising campaigns, where industries and interest groups put their money, and lobbying efforts. 

Why is it important to follow the money?

• Money follows power in politics. Campaign contributions usually go to the politician that individuals and interest groups think will best accomplish their objectives. This method means incumbents who have gained the approval of certain groups receive vastly more donations than challengers, and committee chairpersons and legislative leaders receive more than rank-and-file members, while parties in power receive more than parties in the minority. 
• While politicians frequently talk about the small, individual donations they’ve received, it's the significant contributions that lead to reelection. Polls show that less than 10% of Americans have donated to a candidate for office.
• So, who are those “big donors” that get you reelected? It’s mainly special interest groups, political action committees (PACs), and large individual donors. From Big Oil to Big Labor, these donors seek to promote their own agendas.

How to track my candidate's donations?

• On OpenSecrets, you can find information on members of Congress, congressional committees, presidential administrations, personal finances, state governors, state legislatures, judicial officeholders, and other statewide officeholders. To find information on the money that goes to candidates and officeholders, click here.
• OpenSecrets also shows the expenses of each presidential and congressional election — including financial disclosures, net worth, sector totals, etc. — and fundraising data. To find information on election money, click here.
• OpenSecrets will show you the top industry donations and the top contributor to each politician’s campaign for every election year since their first election. On a politician’s profile, you can find data for every year’s election cycle for campaign committees and their leadership PAC profile, the total amount raised and spent, state contributions, and more. You can even view how much money the politician has accepted from donors throughout their career. 

Want to find out where your candidate's donations come from? Check out OpenSecrets.org.