Elect Democratic Women spent $2.5M on independent expenditures in the 2026 federal elections, and 95% of it helped Democrats (FEC filings through Oct 14, 2026). Counting dollars, not candidates, and only races already called, 100% ended up on the winning side ($1.8M won, $0 lost, with $363K in races still being counted).
Outside spending
$2.5M
On the winning side
100%
$1.8M
On the losing side
$0
$363K still being counted
Supporting vs attacking
41% / 59%
$1.0M for, $1.5M against
Google says Elect Democratic Women also spent $866K on Google and YouTube ads this cycle (35% of its FEC-reported outside spending). All ad buyers →
Follow the money
Who filled the envelope
Elect Democratic Women reported $1.5M in gifts from people, companies, nonprofits and other PACs. The biggest are below.
- Melinda GatesIndividual$10K (1%)
- Ronald PortenIndividual$8K (1%)
- Margaret MaloneIndividual$8K (1%)
- Khanya MoolsiriIndividual$7K (0%)
- Ruth IyengarIndividual$6K (0%)
- Lori DenhamIndividual$6K (0%)
- Lucia AlonzoIndividual$6K (0%)
- Andy Peykoff IIIndividual$6K (0%)
- Karen Goldmeier GreenIndividual$6K (0%)
- Leslie GoldIndividual$6K (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? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marni von Wilpert | California 48th District (primary) | Supporting | $390K | ✓ Yes |
| Mike Beltran | Florida 14th District | Attacking | $349K | ✓ Yes |
| Zach Nunn | Iowa 3rd District | Attacking | $349K | ✓ Yes |
| Denise Powell | Nebraska 2nd District (primary) | Supporting | $300K | ✓ Yes |
| Joe Mitchell | Iowa 2nd District | Attacking | $299K | ✓ Yes |
| Jenny Costa Honeycutt | South Carolina 1st District | Attacking | $249K | Counting |
| Bridget Brink | Michigan 7th District (primary) | Supporting | $125K | Unknown |
| Matthew Maasdam | Michigan 7th District (primary) | Attacking | $125K | ✓ Yes |
| Jim Desmond | California 48th District | Attacking | $114K | Counting |
| Kaela Berg | Minnesota 2nd District (primary) | Supporting | $100K | Unknown |
| Shannon Bird | Colorado 8th District (primary) | Supporting | $98K | Unknown |
Questions people ask
- How much did Elect Democratic Women spend in 2026, and did it win?
- Elect Democratic Women spent $2.5M on independent expenditures in the 2026 federal elections, and 95% of it helped Democrats (FEC filings through Oct 14, 2026). Counting dollars, not candidates, and only races already called, 100% ended up on the winning side ($1.8M won, $0 lost, with $363K in races still being counted).
- Who funds Elect Democratic Women?
- Its biggest reported donors in the 2026 cycle were Melinda Gates ($10K), Ronald Porten ($8K), Margaret Malone ($8K), Khanya Moolsiri ($7K), Ruth Iyengar ($6K), out of $1.5M received from donors tracked here.
- Which candidates did Elect Democratic Women spend the most on in 2026?
- for Marni von Wilpert (California 48th District, $390K, won); against Mike Beltran (Florida 14th District, $349K, won); against Zach Nunn (Iowa 3rd District, $349K, won).