Campaigns are constantly evolving, and this cycle has put that on full display. One of the overlooked changes in campaigns is the ever-growing gap between the haves and the have-nots.
On both sides of the aisle, powerful interest groups can decide which campaigns are viable, and each group uses its own set of criteria to determine where their money can be best spent. When these groups wave their magic wands, they anoint you as one of the chosen ones.
Those “chosen” campaigns will see millions of dollars in outside spending to help their cause when that happens. It’s also a sign to donors and other power players that your campaign is on the winning track. Meanwhile, dozens of other Congressional campaigns that could be viable with the proper support are flailing in the wind.
Then, as the cycle progresses, those same interest groups will reassign resources and change priorities. When that happens, the campaigns are left trying to fill an impossible gap.
That’s why we created a federal super PAC to help some of those campaigns left on the outside looking in this cycle.
We’ll help the campaigns that can win, but haven’t caught the attention of the DCCC, House Majority PAC, Emily’s List, or the other big outside spenders that play a massive role in helping Democratic candidates find victory.
Our objective is simple: to connect with these campaigns and work with them to direct supporters to fund our efforts to help them be successful.
It’s commonplace and legal for campaigns to work with Super PACs and coordinate donations, as long as the two camps don’t coordinate on public communication. A candidate and their team may even solicit funds for an outside group like ours so long as they don’t ask for more than they’re legally permitted to under federal law.
Every campaign should have a place to direct supporters who want to go above and beyond what they are legally permitted to maximize their support. We can quickly scale our efforts to maximize their donors’ support.
Our goal for the 2024 cycle is to find at least five campaigns and help them direct an additional $50,000 – $100,000 towards independent spending in their race. This may propel a campaign to victory in a tight election. We hope this can be a model of success that we can build on for cycles to come.
Nick Daggers is a fundraising consultant based in Central Wisconsin who has helped Democratic consultants raise tens of millions of dollars since 2008. John Balduzzi is an experienced campaign manager, media, and mail consultant near Syracuse, NY.
