Retire Career Politicians spent $3.8M on independent expenditures in the 2026 federal elections, and 100% of it helped Democrats (FEC filings through Oct 14, 2026). Counting dollars, not candidates, and only races already called, 0% ended up on the winning side ($0 won, $3.8M lost).
Outside spending
$3.8M
On the winning side
0%
$0
On the losing side
$3.8M
Supporting vs attacking
37% / 63%
$1.4M for, $2.4M against
Google says Retire Career Politicians also spent $268K on Google and YouTube ads this cycle (7% of its FEC-reported outside spending). All ad buyers →
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? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Flood | Nebraska 1st District | Attacking | $1.3M | ✗ No |
| Brian Bengs | South Dakota Senate | Supporting | $755K | ✗ No |
| Pete Ricketts | Nebraska Senate | Attacking | $702K | ✗ No |
| Chris Backemeyer | Nebraska 1st District | Supporting | $650K | ✗ No |
| Mike Rounds | South Dakota Senate | Attacking | $365K | ✗ No |
Questions people ask
- How much did Retire Career Politicians spend in 2026, and did it win?
- Retire Career Politicians spent $3.8M on independent expenditures in the 2026 federal elections, and 100% of it helped Democrats (FEC filings through Oct 14, 2026). Counting dollars, not candidates, and only races already called, 0% ended up on the winning side ($0 won, $3.8M lost).
- Which candidates did Retire Career Politicians spend the most on in 2026?
- against Mike Flood (Nebraska 1st District, $1.3M, lost); for Brian Bengs (South Dakota Senate, $755K, lost); against Pete Ricketts (Nebraska Senate, $702K, lost).