Sierra Club Independent Action spent $3.8M on independent expenditures in the 2020 federal elections, and 100% of it helped Democrats (FEC filings through Dec 31, 2020). Counting dollars, not candidates, and only races already called, 84% ended up on the winning side ($3.2M won, $589K lost).
Outside spending
$3.8M
On the winning side
84%
$3.2M
On the losing side
$589K
Supporting vs attacking
72% / 28%
$2.7M for, $1.1M against
Follow the money
Who filled the envelope
Sierra Club Independent Action reported $4.3M in gifts from people, companies, nonprofits and other PACs. The biggest are below.
- Sierra ClubCompany / nonprofit$3.5M (81%)
- Nathaniel DeanIndividual$180K (4%)
- Allasor CorporationCompany / nonprofit$100K (2%)
- Christina SingletonIndividual$100K (2%)
- Green Advocacy ProjectAnother PAC$75K (2%)
- Anthony RossoIndividual$30K (1%)
- Tom CrispIndividual$25K (1%)
- Loren BlackfordIndividual$20K (0%)
- Pascale CohenIndividual$15K (0%)
- Robin MannIndividual$10K (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 Result not matched
| Candidate | Race | Spending | Amount | Paid off? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Biden | President | Supporting | $2.1M | ✓ Yes |
| Donald Trump | President | Attacking | $650K | ✓ Yes |
| Donald Trump | President (primary) | Attacking | $428K | ✗ No |
| Cal Cunningham | North Carolina Senate | Supporting | $161K | ✗ No |
| Gary Peters | Michigan Senate | Supporting | $118K | ✓ Yes |
| Jon Ossoff | Georgia Senate | Supporting | $110K | ✓ Yes |
| Mark Kelly | Arizona Senate | Supporting | $110K | ✓ Yes |
| Raphael Warnock | Georgia Senate (special) | Supporting | $109K | ✓ Yes |
| Edward J. Markey | Massachusetts Senate (primary) | Supporting | $7K | ✓ Yes |
Questions people ask
- How much did Sierra Club Independent Action spend in 2020, and did it win?
- Sierra Club Independent Action spent $3.8M on independent expenditures in the 2020 federal elections, and 100% of it helped Democrats (FEC filings through Dec 31, 2020). Counting dollars, not candidates, and only races already called, 84% ended up on the winning side ($3.2M won, $589K lost).
- Who funds Sierra Club Independent Action?
- Its biggest reported donors in the 2020 cycle were Sierra Club ($3.5M), Nathaniel Dean ($180K), Allasor Corporation ($100K), Christina Singleton ($100K), Green Advocacy Project ($75K), out of $4.3M received from donors tracked here.
- Which candidates did Sierra Club Independent Action spend the most on in 2020?
- for Joe Biden (President, $2.1M, won); against Donald Trump (President, $650K, won); against Donald Trump (President, $428K, lost).