Defend the Vote spent $12M on independent expenditures in the 2026 federal elections, and 100% of it helped Democrats (FEC filings with varying coverage dates; the most common larger-campaign cutoff is Oct 14, 2026). Among dollars with a matched election-stage result, 96% were on the winning side ($12M won, $516K lost). $0 had no matched result and is excluded.
Outside spending
$12M
Winning share of scored dollars
96%
$12M scored (100% of spending); $0 unknown
On the losing side
$516K
Supporting vs attacking
1% / 99%
$100K for, $12M against
Google says Defend the Vote also spent $1.8M on Google and YouTube ads this cycle (15% of its FEC-reported outside spending). All ad buyers →
Follow the money
Who filled the envelope
- Senate Majority PAC (SMP)Another PAC$12M (84%)
- Defend the Vote Action FundCompany / nonprofit$901K (6%)
- William BuffettIndividual$19K (0%)
- Elizabeth SmithIndividual$17K (0%)
- David ColesIndividual$12K (0%)
- Andrea EenIndividual$12K (0%)
- Sandra ThonIndividual$11K (0%)
- Louise BeardIndividual$10K (0%)
- Kenneth DahlIndividual$9K (0%)
- Lita WeinribIndividual$9K (0%)
The people behind it
The people giving to Defend the Vote
- William BuffettNot Employed · MA$19K93 gifts
- Elizabeth SmithNot Employed · TX$17K595 gifts
- David ColesNot Employed · IN$12K40 gifts
- Andrea EenNot Employed · MN$12K183 gifts
- Sandra ThonNot Employed · WI$11K365 gifts
- Louise BeardProducer · AL$10K202 gifts
- Kenneth DahlNot Employed · WA$9K878 gifts
- Lita WeinribNot Employed · NY$9K157 gifts
- Robert PorterNot Employed · VA$7K435 gifts
- Carol Vander MeerNot Employed · WA$7K29 gifts
Show 15 moreShow fewer
- Taylor DurhamSpecialty Foods Processor · Durham's Tracklements · MI$6K364 gifts
- James HinrichsNot Employed · MN$5K106 gifts
- Ellen GoldsmithNot Employed · FL$5K300 gifts
- Steven MonderNot Employed · OH$5K282 gifts
- Elizabeth ReichNot Employed · FL$5K42 gifts
- Lauri TaylorNot Employed · UT$5K109 gifts
- Devin TuoheyReal Estate · PA$5K
- Gisela PikarskyNot Employed · MA$5K21 gifts
- Terry BergesonNot Employed · WA$4K211 gifts
- Thomas GilmoreNot Employed · ID$4K153 gifts
- Jeng ShihNot Employed · TX$4K181 gifts
- Gary KilpatricAttorney · Montgomery & Andrews Law Firm · NM$4K896 gifts
- Marcia JamesNot Employed · AZ$4K108 gifts
- Lola WorkNot Employed · OR$4K54 gifts
- Angela MoginNot Employed · CA$4K48 gifts
Names, employers and occupations are as the committee reported them to the FEC. People with the same name in the same state are counted as one person. Federal law bars using these names to ask for money or for any commercial purpose.
Where the money went
| Candidate | Race | Spending | Amount | Won? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jon Husted | Ohio Senate (special) | Attacking | $7.1M | ✓ Yes |
| Mike Rogers | Michigan Senate | Attacking | $4.6M | ✓ Yes |
| Luke Bronin | Connecticut 1st District (primary) | Attacking | $516K | ✗ No |
| Chris Pappas | New Hampshire Senate (primary) | Supporting | $100K | ✓ Yes |
Questions people ask
- How much did Defend the Vote spend in 2026, and did it win?
- Defend the Vote spent $12M on independent expenditures in the 2026 federal elections, and 100% of it helped Democrats (FEC filings with varying coverage dates; the most common larger-campaign cutoff is Oct 14, 2026). Among dollars with a matched election-stage result, 96% were on the winning side ($12M won, $516K lost). $0 had no matched result and is excluded.
- Who funds Defend the Vote?
- Its biggest reported donors in the 2026 cycle were Senate Majority PAC (SMP) ($12M), Defend the Vote Action Fund ($901K), William Buffett ($19K), Elizabeth Smith ($17K), David Coles ($12K), out of $14M received from donors tracked here.
- Which candidates did Defend the Vote spend the most on in 2026?
- against Jon Husted (Ohio Senate (special), $7.1M, won); against Mike Rogers (Michigan Senate, $4.6M, won); against Luke Bronin (Connecticut 1st District, $516K, lost).