Defend the Vote spent $12M on independent expenditures in the 2026 federal elections, and 96% of it helped Democrats (FEC filings through Oct 14, 2026). Counting dollars, not candidates, and only races already called, 96% ended up on the winning side ($12M won, $516K lost).
Outside spending
$12M
On the winning side
96%
$12M
On the losing side
$516K
Supporting vs attacking
1% / 99%
$100K for, $12M against
Google says Defend the Vote also spent $1.8M on Google and YouTube ads this cycle (15% of its FEC-reported outside spending). All ad buyers →
Follow the money
Who filled the envelope
Defend the Vote reported $14M in gifts from people, companies, nonprofits and other PACs. The biggest are below.
- Senate Majority PAC (SMP)Another PAC$12M (84%)
- Defend the Vote Action FundCompany / nonprofit$901K (6%)
- William BuffettIndividual$19K (0%)
- Elizabeth SmithIndividual$17K (0%)
- David ColesIndividual$12K (0%)
- Andrea EenIndividual$12K (0%)
- Sandra ThonIndividual$11K (0%)
- Louise BeardIndividual$10K (0%)
- Kenneth DahlIndividual$9K (0%)
- Lita WeinribIndividual$9K (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? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jon Husted | Ohio Senate (special) | Attacking | $7.1M | ✓ Yes |
| Mike Rogers | Michigan Senate | Attacking | $4.6M | ✓ Yes |
| Luke Bronin | Connecticut 1st District (primary) | Attacking | $516K | ✗ No |
| Chris Pappas | New Hampshire Senate (primary) | Supporting | $100K | ✓ Yes |
Questions people ask
- How much did Defend the Vote spend in 2026, and did it win?
- Defend the Vote spent $12M on independent expenditures in the 2026 federal elections, and 96% of it helped Democrats (FEC filings through Oct 14, 2026). Counting dollars, not candidates, and only races already called, 96% ended up on the winning side ($12M won, $516K lost).
- Who funds Defend the Vote?
- Its biggest reported donors in the 2026 cycle were Senate Majority PAC (SMP) ($12M), Defend the Vote Action Fund ($901K), William Buffett ($19K), Elizabeth Smith ($17K), David Coles ($12K), out of $14M received from donors tracked here.
- Which candidates did Defend the Vote spend the most on in 2026?
- against Jon Husted (Ohio Senate (special), $7.1M, won); against Mike Rogers (Michigan Senate, $4.6M, won); against Luke Bronin (Connecticut 1st District, $516K, lost).