Defending Our Values PAC spent $7.9M on independent expenditures in the 2026 federal elections, and 89% of it helped Republicans (FEC filings through Oct 14, 2026). 78% of the money with a result ended up on the winning side ($6.1M won, $1.7M lost).
Outside spending
$7.9M
On the winning side
78%
$6.1M
On the losing side
$1.7M
Supporting vs attacking
89% / 11%
$7.0M for, $838K against
Google says Defending Our Values PAC also spent $440K on Google and YouTube ads this cycle (6% of its FEC-reported outside spending). All ad buyers →
Follow the money
Who filled the envelope
Defending Our Values PAC reported $8.4M in gifts from people, companies, nonprofits and other PACs. The biggest are below.
- Public First Action IncDark money$7.9M (94%)
- Public FirstAnother PAC$300K (4%)
- Jan LeikeIndividual$100K (1%)
- Todor MarkovIndividual$50K (1%)
- Wfw Action Fund IncAnother PAC$10K (0%)
- Donovan LiamIndividual$5K (0%)
- Peter LofgrenIndividual$5K (0%)
- Matthew FisherIndividual$1K (0%)
Where the money went
Biggest targets, with whether each one paid off.
✓ Backed the winner or attacked the loser ✗ Backed the loser or attacked the winner Race not called yet Result not matched
| Candidate | Race | Spending | Amount | Paid off? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlos De La Cruz | Texas 35th District | Supporting | $1.0M | ✗ No |
| Celeste Maloy | Utah 3rd District (primary) | Supporting | $999K | ✓ Yes |
| Rhett Marques | Alabama 2nd District (primary) | Supporting | $960K | ✓ Yes |
| Scott Singer | Florida 25th District (primary) | Supporting | $857K | ✓ Yes |
| Kevin Hern | Oklahoma Senate (primary) | Supporting | $808K | ✓ Yes |
| John Cowan | Georgia 11th District | Supporting | $759K | ✓ Yes |
| Daniel John Franzese | Florida 25th District (primary) | Attacking | $740K | ✓ Yes |
| Alex Mealer | Texas 9th District | Supporting | $706K | ✗ No |
| Carlos De La Cruz | Texas 35th District (primary) | Supporting | $480K | ✓ Yes |
| Pete Ricketts | Nebraska Senate (primary) | Supporting | $263K | ✓ Yes |
| Alex Mealer | Texas 9th District (primary) | Supporting | $198K | ✓ Yes |
| Briscoe Rowell III Cain | Texas 9th District | Attacking | $58K | Unknown |
Questions people ask
- How much did Defending Our Values PAC spend in 2026, and did it win?
- Defending Our Values PAC spent $7.9M on independent expenditures in the 2026 federal elections, and 89% of it helped Republicans (FEC filings through Oct 14, 2026). 78% of the money with a result ended up on the winning side ($6.1M won, $1.7M lost).
- Who funds Defending Our Values PAC?
- Its biggest reported donors in the 2026 cycle were Public First Action Inc ($7.9M), Public First ($300K), Jan Leike ($100K), Todor Markov ($50K), Wfw Action Fund Inc ($10K), out of $8.4M received from donors tracked here.
- Which candidates did Defending Our Values PAC spend the most on in 2026?
- for Carlos De La Cruz (Texas 35th District, $1.0M, lost); for Celeste Maloy (Utah 3rd District, $999K, won); for Rhett Marques (Alabama 2nd District, $960K, won).