Project 218 spent $19M 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, 94% ended up on the winning side ($15M won, $885K lost, with $632K in races still being counted).
Outside spending
$19M
On the winning side
94%
$15M
On the losing side
$885K
$632K still being counted
Supporting vs attacking
91% / 9%
$18M for, $1.6M against
Google says Project 218 also spent $700K on Google and YouTube ads this cycle (4% of its FEC-reported outside spending). All ad buyers →
Follow the money
Who filled the envelope
Project 218 reported $22M in gifts from people, companies, nonprofits and other PACs. The biggest are below.
- Democracy MattersCompany / nonprofit$13M (57%)
- Government That Works PACCompany / nonprofit$1.0M (4%)
- Matt BellIndividual$750K (3%)
- Rory GatesIndividual$300K (1%)
- David StieplemanIndividual$275K (1%)
- Samuel WaltonIndividual$250K (1%)
- Keith BehnerIndividual$250K (1%)
- Amos HostetterIndividual$250K (1%)
- James MillsteinIndividual$250K (1%)
- John LevyIndividual$200K (1%)
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? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnny Garcia | Texas 35th District | Supporting | $2.5M | ✓ Yes |
| Bobby Pulido | Texas 15th District | Supporting | $1.7M | ✓ Yes |
| Lindsay James | Iowa 2nd District | Supporting | $1.6M | ✓ Yes |
| Shomari Figures | Alabama 2nd District | Supporting | $1.4M | ✓ Yes |
| Johnny Garcia | Texas 35th District (primary) | Supporting | $1.4M | ✓ Yes |
| Jeff Van Drew | New Jersey 2nd District | Attacking | $1.3M | ✓ Yes |
| Jasmeet Bains | California 22nd District (primary) | Supporting | $999K | Unknown |
| Sarah Trone Garriott | Iowa 3rd District | Supporting | $996K | ✓ Yes |
| Joseph Baldacci | Maine 2nd District (primary) | Supporting | $907K | Unknown |
| Marni von Wilpert | California 48th District (primary) | Supporting | $900K | ✓ Yes |
| Bale Dalton | Florida 7th District | Supporting | $632K | Counting |
| Adriano Espaillat | New York 13th District (primary) | Supporting | $600K | Unknown |
Questions people ask
- How much did Project 218 spend in 2026, and did it win?
- Project 218 spent $19M 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, 94% ended up on the winning side ($15M won, $885K lost, with $632K in races still being counted).
- Who funds Project 218?
- Its biggest reported donors in the 2026 cycle were Democracy Matters ($13M), Government That Works PAC ($1.0M), Matt Bell ($750K), Rory Gates ($300K), David Stiepleman ($275K), out of $22M received from donors tracked here.
- Which candidates did Project 218 spend the most on in 2026?
- for Johnny Garcia (Texas 35th District, $2.5M, won); for Bobby Pulido (Texas 15th District, $1.7M, won); for Lindsay James (Iowa 2nd District, $1.6M, won).