Politician
Karen Bass
Democrat · California · ran 1 time since 2020, won 1 · incumbent
FEC candidate H0CA33117
Karen Bass (Democrat) raised $2.2M for the 2020 California 37th District race, $836K of it from PACs, and outside groups spent $14 for and $0 against them (FEC filings with varying coverage dates; the most common larger-campaign cutoff is Dec 31, 2020). They won.
Raised, all cycles
$2.2M
2020; counted once per cycle
From PAC checks
37%
$836K from corporations, trade groups, unions and politicians
Outside money for
$14
Super PACs and party groups helping
Outside money against
$0
Spent attacking them
Every run
Each election and its result. Campaign receipts cover the whole cycle and can appear in both regular and special contests; they count once in the totals above.
| Cycle | Race | Raised | PAC share | Outside for / against | Google ads | All money | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | California 37th District | $2.2M | 37% | $14 / $0 | – | $2.2M | ✓ Won |
Who wrote the checks
The PACs that gave the most across every run, and what kind of money it is.
Corporate $421KUnion $176KTrade group $80KMembership $63KOther $60KSuper PAC $18KLeadership PAC $8K
- Carpenters Legislative Improvement Committee United Brotherhood of Carpenters and JoinersUnionLobbyist PAC$10K
- Edison International PACCorporateLobbyist PAC$10K
- United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Active Ballot ClubUnionLobbyist PAC$10K
- At&T Inc./Warnermedia LLC Federal Political Action Committee (At&T/Warnermedia Federal PAC)CorporateLobbyist PAC$10K
- American Federation of State County & Municipal Employees P E O P L EUnionLobbyist PAC$10K
- Comcast Corporation & Nbcuniversal Political Action Committee - FederalCorporateLobbyist PAC$10K
- Charter Communications Inc. Political Action CommitteeCorporateLobbyist PAC$10K
- Pricewaterhousecoopers Political Action Committee IOtherLobbyist PAC$10K
Outside money, for and against
Super PACs and party groups that spent the most on these races.
- National Union of Healthcare Workers Federal Committee On Political Educationfor $14
Funding and votes
How their votes align with industry funding
Across 5 industry-vote comparisons with at least $10K in traced funding, they voted the industry's way 1 time (20%). This is a retrospective comparison using covered 2020–2026 runs; some money arrived after the vote. A vote can appear for multiple industries. Unknown coverage is excluded. “With industry” means its stated preferred side, and does not establish causation.
| Vote | Industry | Their money from it | Voted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merger Filing Fee Modernization ActHouse · 2022 · 242–184 | Tech and AI wanted nay | $48K | Yea · against |
| Inflation Reduction ActHouse · 2022 · 220–207 | Oil, gas and coal wanted nayPharma and health care wanted nayWall Street and hedge funds wanted nay | $6K$48K$30K | Yea · againstYea · againstYea · against |
| Assault Weapons Ban of 2022House · 2022 · 217–213 | Gun lobby wanted nay | $0 | Yea · against |
| Safer Communities Act (post-Uvalde)House · 2022 · 234–193 | Gun lobby wanted nay | $0 | Yea · against |
| Affordable Insulin Now ActHouse · 2022 · 232–193 | Pharma and health care wanted nay | $48K | Yea · against |
| Bipartisan Background Checks ActHouse · 2021 · 227–203 | Gun lobby wanted nay | $0 | Yea · against |
| PRO Act (union organizing)House · 2021 · 225–206 | Labor unions wanted yea | $206K | Yea · with industry |
Constituents vs. funders
Voted the way most of their constituents wanted on 5 of 5 key votes (100%)
On 2 votes, industries that gave them $10K+ before the vote wanted the opposite of what most of their constituents wanted. They sided with the funders 0 times and with their constituents 2. Constituent views come from the Cooperative Election Study, a survey of about 60,000 adults a year. A side counts as what constituents wanted only when it leads by more than the margin of error; closer results are shown as split. Party explains most votes, and none of this shows that money changed a vote.
| Vote | Their constituents | Their funders | Voted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inflation Reduction ActHouse · 2022 | 79% support ±12CA-37 · wanted Yea · CES 2022 | $48K Pharma and health care wanted nay$30K Wall Street and hedge funds wanted nay | YeaVoters over funders |
| Assault Weapons Ban of 2022House · 2022 | 68% support ±14CA-37 · wanted Yea · CES 2022 | No industry with a side gave $10K+ | YeaWith voters |
| Safer Communities Act (post-Uvalde)House · 2022 | 89% support ±2California (statewide figure) · wanted Yea · CES 2024 | No industry with a side gave $10K+ | YeaWith voters |
| Affordable Insulin Now ActHouse · 2022 | 97% support ±5CA-37 · wanted Yea · CES 2022 · related question | $48K Pharma and health care wanted nay | YeaVoters over funders |
| Bipartisan Background Checks ActHouse · 2021 | 94% support ±1California (statewide figure) · wanted Yea · CES 2024 | No industry with a side gave $10K+ | YeaWith voters |
The revolving door
1 former aide now lobbying
Lobbyists who list a job in Karen Bass's office among the government positions they held, and who they now work for. A listed former position does not establish contact with that office.
Caren StreetFormer congressional staff
2007-08: SA, Sen. Johnny Isakson; 2008-17: LC/LA/Policy Adv/Grants Director/Counsel/Sr Policy Adv, Sen. Harry Reid; 2017-18: Policy Dir, CBC (Rep. Cedric Ric…
Now lobbies for The Kroger Co., Mars Incorporated, Government Of Puerto Rico · via Squire Patton Boggs
Figures are the candidate's principal committees as filed with the FEC, cycle by cycle. See About the data.
Questions people ask
- Who funded Karen Bass's 2020 campaign?
- Karen Bass (Democrat) raised $2.2M for the 2020 California 37th District race, $836K of it from PACs, and outside groups spent $14 for and $0 against them (FEC filings with varying coverage dates; the most common larger-campaign cutoff is Dec 31, 2020). They won.
- Which PACs gave the most to Karen Bass?
- Carpenters Legislative Improvement Committee United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners ($10K), Edison International PAC ($10K), United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Active Ballot Club ($10K), At&T Inc./Warnermedia LLC Federal Political Action Committee (At&T/Warnermedia Federal PAC) ($10K), American Federation of State County & Municipal Employees P E O P L E ($10K) in 2020.
- Which super PACs spent on Karen Bass's race?
- National Union of Healthcare Workers Federal Committee On Political Education ($14 for) in 2020.