Leaders We Deserve spent $2.7M 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, 84% were on the winning side ($1.1M won, $214K lost, with $168K in races still being counted). $1.3M had no matched result and is excluded.
Outside spending
$2.7M
Winning share of scored dollars
84%
$1.3M scored (47% of spending); $1.3M unknown
On the losing side
$214K
$168K still being counted
Supporting vs attacking
92% / 8%
$2.5M for, $214K against
Google says Leaders We Deserve also spent $319K on Google and YouTube ads this cycle (12% of its FEC-reported outside spending). All ad buyers →
Follow the money
Who filled the envelope
The donor records in this snapshot trace $6.7M to Leaders We Deserve. This is incomplete funding coverage; percentages below refer only to these traced gifts. The allocation denominator is $17M.
- Barbara WeitzIndividual$350K (5%)
- Amos HostetterIndividual$225K (3%)
- Clay KirkIndividual$210K (3%)
- Dagmar DolbyIndividual$200K (3%)
- Flip the Table PACAnother PAC$168K (3%)
- Adam RuthIndividual$145K (2%)
- Barrie LandryIndividual$125K (2%)
- Alexander AdellIndividual$103K (2%)
- William HarrisIndividual$100K (1%)
- Payam ShohadaiIndividual$100K (1%)
The people behind it
The people giving to Leaders We Deserve
8,632 named people gave $6.4M in itemized gifts this cycle. These are the biggest 25. Committees must name anyone who gives more than $200 in a year; smaller gifts are reported only as a lump sum, and money from companies, unions and other groups is not in this list.
- Barbara WeitzNot-Employed · Not-Employed · NE$350K3 gifts
- Amos HostetterChair · Pilot House Associates LLC · MA$225K3 gifts
- Clay KirkInvestor · NY$210K6 gifts
- Dagmar DolbyRetired · Not-Employed · CA$200K2 gifts
- Adam RuthNot-Employed · Not-Employed · UT$145K14 gifts
- Barrie LandryNot-Employed · Not-Employed · MA$125K3 gifts
- Alexander AdellBusiness Owner · Magnesium Film · TX$103K2 gifts
- William HarrisFounder · Personal Capital · FL$100K
- Payam ShohadaiFounder · CA$100K
- Michelle AbbeyCEO · Radancy · NY$95K7 gifts
Show 15 moreShow fewer
- Joseph KaempferBuilder · Mcarthurglen · VA$76K3 gifts
- Arthur SegelProfessor · Harvard University · MA$75K3 gifts
- William PoorvuNot-Employed · Not-Employed · MA$75K4 gifts
- Dennis MehielAdministrator · Four M Investments, LLC · NY$65K3 gifts
- Joshua BogerBiotech Executive · Alkeus Pharmaceuticals. · MA$60K2 gifts
- Khanh NguyenEngineer · Weavegrid · CA$52K8 gifts
- Ross BoucherNot-Employed · Not-Employed · CA$51K2 gifts
- Garrett KirkInvestor · NY$50K2 gifts
- Richard MinerExecutive · Google · MA$45K2 gifts
- Ira ZieringBusiness · CA$40K3 gifts
- Judy WiseNot-Employed · Not-Employed · IL$40K11 gifts
- Benoit DupinNot-Employed · Not-Employed · CA$38K4 gifts
- Joseph BatdorfPresident · J Turner Research · TX$36K6 gifts
- David GavrichNot-Employed · Not-Employed · CA$36K3 gifts
- Adam GuntherMusician · CA$30K2 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
Biggest targets, with whether each one won.
✓ 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 | Won? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lauren Babb Tomlinson | California 6th District (primary) | Supporting | $475K | Unknown |
| Randy Villegas | California 22nd District (primary) | Supporting | $450K | ✓ Yes |
| Nida Allam | North Carolina 4th District (primary) | Supporting | $386K | Unknown |
| Patrick Roath | Massachusetts 8th District (primary) | Supporting | $256K | Unknown |
| Stephen Lynch | Massachusetts 8th District (primary) | Attacking | $214K | ✗ No |
| Christian Menefee | Texas 18th District (primary) | Supporting | $178K | ✓ Yes |
| Claire Valdez | New York 7th District (primary) | Supporting | $175K | ✓ Yes |
| Mai Vang | California 7th District | Supporting | $168K | Counting |
| Kristina Knickerbocker | Ohio 10th District | Supporting | $162K | ✓ Yes |
| Deja Operana-Foxx | Arizona 7th District | Supporting | $150K | Unknown |
| Christian Menefee | Texas 18th District | Supporting | $108K | ✓ Yes |
| Abdul El-Sayed | Michigan Senate | Supporting | $10K | ✓ Yes |
Questions people ask
- How much did Leaders We Deserve spend in 2026, and did it win?
- Leaders We Deserve spent $2.7M 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, 84% were on the winning side ($1.1M won, $214K lost, with $168K in races still being counted). $1.3M had no matched result and is excluded.
- Who funds Leaders We Deserve?
- Its biggest reported donors in the 2026 cycle were Barbara Weitz ($350K), Amos Hostetter ($225K), Clay Kirk ($210K), Dagmar Dolby ($200K), Flip the Table PAC ($168K), out of $6.7M received from donors tracked here.
- Which candidates did Leaders We Deserve spend the most on in 2026?
- for Lauren Babb Tomlinson (California 6th District, $475K, unknown); for Randy Villegas (California 22nd District, $450K, won); for Nida Allam (North Carolina 4th District, $386K, unknown).