2020 general election
North Carolina Senate
The winner was outraised and won anyway.
$281M in receipts plus outside spending is tied to the 2020 North Carolina Senate race: $76M raised by the campaigns, $4.4M of it from PACs, plus $205M from outside groups (FEC filings with varying coverage dates; the most common larger-campaign cutoff is Dec 31, 2020). Thom Tilllis (Republican) won despite being outraised.
Receipts + outside spending
$281M
Raised by campaigns
$76M
PAC checks
$4.4M
Outside money
$205M
Candidates
Raised by the campaign Outside money supportingOutside money attacking Democrat Republican Other
Cal CunninghamDemocrat
✗ Lost- Raised
- $53M
- Spent
- $52M
- From individuals
- $48M
- From PACs
- $866K
- From party
- $55K
- Own money & loans
- $200K
- Outside money for
- $21M
- Outside money against
- $89M
Who paid: 2% of Cunningham's money came from PACs
Corporate $13K (1%)Trade group $8K (1%)Leadership PAC $366K (40%)Membership $100K (11%)Union $210K (23%)Super PAC $74K (8%)Party $60K (7%)Other $80K (9%)
- Colorado Senate Victory 2016 Party$50K
- J Street Membership$35K
- Democracy Engine, Inc. Corporate$13K
- Let America Vote PAC Other$11K
- Naral Pro-Choice America PAC Membership$10K
- First State PAC Leadership PAC$10K
- Lobo PAC Leadership PAC$10K
- Duckworth Leadership PAC$10K
Biggest outside spenders
- Senate Leadership Fund · $47M attacking
- American Crossroads · $24M attacking
- NRSC · $14M attacking
- Priorities USA Action · $7.8M supporting
- Americans for Prosperity Action · $2.9M attacking
Thom TilllisRepublican, incumbent
✓ Won- Raised
- $23M
- Spent
- $24M
- From individuals
- $17M
- From PACs
- $3.5M
- From party
- $0
- Own money & loans
- $0
- Outside money for
- $12M
- Outside money against
- $83M
Who paid: 15% of Tilllis's money came from PACs
Corporate $1.9M (49%)Trade group $750K (19%)Leadership PAC $283K (7%)Membership $218K (6%)Union $17K (0%)Super PAC $370K (10%)Party $48K (1%)Other $285K (7%)
- Winred Super PAC$352K
- Young Victory Committee Party$45K
- National Pork Producers Council Trade group$15K
- Institute for Portfolio Alternatives Political Action Committee ('Ipa PAC') Membership$13K
- Bbva USA Bancshares, Inc. PAC Corporate$10K
- National Beer Wholesalers Association Trade group$10K
- Arkansas Bankers Association PAC Inc. Trade group$10K
- Honeywell International Corporate$10K
Biggest outside spenders
- Senate Majority PAC · $34M attacking
- DSCC · $24M attacking
- Americans for Prosperity Action · $9.9M supporting
- Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund (Everytown Victory Fund) · $3.9M attacking
- Patients for Affordable Drugs Action · $3.7M attacking
Plus 2 other candidates on the ballot with no reported money.
Questions people ask
- How much money is tied to the 2020 North Carolina Senate race?
- $281M in receipts plus outside spending is tied to the 2020 North Carolina Senate race: $76M raised by the campaigns, $4.4M of it from PACs, plus $205M from outside groups (FEC filings with varying coverage dates; the most common larger-campaign cutoff is Dec 31, 2020). Thom Tilllis (Republican) won despite being outraised.
- Who raised the most money in the 2020 North Carolina Senate race?
- Cal Cunningham (Democrat) raised $53M and had $21M in outside spending on their side.
- Which outside groups spent the most on the 2020 North Carolina Senate race?
- Senate Leadership Fund ($47M), Senate Majority PAC ($34M), DSCC ($24M).
- Which PACs gave the most to candidates in the 2020 North Carolina Senate race?
- Winred gave $352K to Thom Tilllis; DSCC gave $50K to Cal Cunningham; NRSC gave $45K to Thom Tilllis.