Edf Action Votes spent $15M on independent expenditures in the 2026 federal elections, and 98% of it helped Democrats (FEC filings through Oct 14, 2026). Counting dollars, not candidates, and only races already called, 87% ended up on the winning side ($12M won, $1.8M lost, with $1.2M in races still being counted).
Outside spending
$15M
On the winning side
87%
$12M
On the losing side
$1.8M
$1.2M still being counted
Supporting vs attacking
2% / 98%
$264K for, $15M against
Google says Edf Action Votes also spent $2.1M on Google and YouTube ads this cycle (14% of its FEC-reported outside spending). All ad buyers →
Follow the money
Who filled the envelope
Edf Action Votes reported $17M in gifts from people, companies, nonprofits and other PACs. The biggest are below.
- Environmental Defense Action FundCompany / nonprofit$14M (79%)
- Susan MandelIndividual$2.5M (14%)
- Michael BillsIndividual$200K (1%)
- Virginia SallIndividual$100K (1%)
- John SallIndividual$100K (1%)
- Amos HostetterIndividual$100K (1%)
- Barbara HostetterIndividual$100K (1%)
- Mark GalloglyIndividual$100K (1%)
- Elizabeth StricklerIndividual$100K (1%)
- Adam SweeneyIndividual$30K (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? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jon Husted | Ohio Senate (special) | Attacking | $2.5M | ✓ Yes |
| Ken Paxton | Texas Senate | Attacking | $2.0M | ✓ Yes |
| Mike Beltran | Florida 14th District | Attacking | $1.8M | ✓ Yes |
| Mike Rogers | Michigan Senate (primary) | Attacking | $1.5M | ✗ No |
| Scott Perry | Pennsylvania 10th District | Attacking | $1.0M | ✓ Yes |
| Mike Lawler | New York 17th District | Attacking | $863K | ✓ Yes |
| Monica De La Cruz | Texas 15th District | Attacking | $854K | ✓ Yes |
| Jay Feely | Arizona 1st District | Attacking | $755K | Counting |
| Derrick Van Orden | Wisconsin 3rd District | Attacking | $747K | ✓ Yes |
| Jennifer Balkcom | North Carolina 11th District | Attacking | $746K | ✓ Yes |
| Bill Huizenga | Michigan 4th District | Attacking | $549K | ✓ Yes |
| Michael Whatley | North Carolina Senate | Attacking | $500K | ✓ Yes |
Questions people ask
- How much did Edf Action Votes spend in 2026, and did it win?
- Edf Action Votes spent $15M on independent expenditures in the 2026 federal elections, and 98% of it helped Democrats (FEC filings through Oct 14, 2026). Counting dollars, not candidates, and only races already called, 87% ended up on the winning side ($12M won, $1.8M lost, with $1.2M in races still being counted).
- Who funds Edf Action Votes?
- Its biggest reported donors in the 2026 cycle were Environmental Defense Action Fund ($14M), Susan Mandel ($2.5M), Michael Bills ($200K), Virginia Sall ($100K), John Sall ($100K), out of $17M received from donors tracked here.
- Which candidates did Edf Action Votes spend the most on in 2026?
- against Jon Husted (Ohio Senate (special), $2.5M, won); against Ken Paxton (Texas Senate, $2.0M, won); against Mike Beltran (Florida 14th District, $1.8M, won).