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Senate Majority PAC

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Senate Majority PAC
Senate Majority PAC.png
Basic facts
Location:Washington, D.C.
Type:Super PAC
Affiliation:Democrat
Top official:J.B. Poersch, President
Year founded:2010
Website:Official website
Super PACs
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Senate Majority PAC is a Democratic super PAC based in Washington, D.C. that, according to its website, seeks to "protect and expand the number of Democrats in the U.S. Senate."[1] A group of Democratic strategists initially founded the super PAC in 2010 as Commonsense Ten.[2] In 2011, Commonsense Ten rebranded itself as Senate Majority PAC.[2] Senate Majority PAC's website states that it was founded in response to Republican satellite spending groups.[1]

Background

Senate Majority PAC was founded by a group of Democratic strategists in 2010.[2] Those individuals included Rebecca Lambe and Susan McCue — former aides and advisors to Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) — as well as Patriot Majority PAC director Craig Varoga.[2] Former Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) individuals J.B. Poersch and Jim Jordan, as well as Democratic fundraiser Monica Dixon and attorney Marc Elias, were also involved in organizing the super PAC.[2]

According to Politico, the super PAC — initially called Commonsense Ten — was modeled after the Patriot Majority PAC.[2] In 2011, the super PAC rebranded as Senate Majority PAC.[2] The launch of the super PAC was aimed at preparing the Democratic Party to defend 23 U.S. Senate seats in the 2012 elections and garnering support for President Barack Obama's (D) re-election campaign.[2] During the 2012 election cycle, the super PAC spent $42 million.[2]

As of December 2025, Senate Majority PAC's website listed the following mission statement:[3]

“ Senate Majority PAC was founded by experienced, aggressive Democratic strategists with one mission: to win Senate races.

In 2010, the Citizens United decision led to a network of Republican-aligned outside groups that raised and spent hundreds of millions of dollars on false negative ads against Democratic senators and Senate candidates.

In the face of this threat, Senate Majority PAC formed in 2011 to make sure that our Democratic candidates would not be forced to face such overwhelming odds against them again. Running transparent, low-overhead, independent campaigns, we defend Democrats from Republican attacks, aggressively contest open Senate seats, and go after Republicans on their own turf as we work on turning the Senate blue.

The threat has only gotten worse since 2010 with the rise of the Republican dark money network. This increasing threat has only made our mission as a Democratic PAC more critical than ever.

We work to elect Democratic senators who are committed to an economy that provides opportunity and security for America’s working families and who stand up to protect the rights of all Americans. As Democratic strategists, we fight to hold Republicans accountable for their radical proposals to sabotage the health care of millions of Americans and to give more tax breaks to the top 1% while cutting Medicare and education.[4]

”

Leadership

In March 2017, Senate Majority PAC announced that J.B. Poersch, former director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), had been hired as the super PAC's president.[5]

Work and activities

As a super PAC, Senate Majority PAC can make independent expenditures in support of or opposition to candidates for office.

2024 elections

In March 2024, Senate Majority PAC began running television ads against Wisconsin U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde (R).[6] The ads stated, "Multi-millionaire California banker Eric Hovde: On Wisconsin's side? Don't bank on it." According to Politico, the super PAC spent $2 million on the ad buy.[6]

2022 elections

In September 2022, Senate Majority PAC began running television ads in North Carolina against then-U.S. Senate candidate Ted Budd (R).[7] NBC News stated that the "30-second spot highlight[ed] the Budd family's investment in an agriculture business, which went bankrupt."[7] According to NBC News, the super PAC was part of an ad campaign exceeding $2 million.[7]

2020-2021 elections

In November 2020, Senate Majority PAC formed two super PACs — Georgia Honor and The Georgia Way — focused on the Jan. 5, 2021, U.S. Senate runoff elections in Georgia.[8]

2018 elections

In April 2017, Senate Majority PAC began running radio ads in Missouri in support of Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.). [9]The ads stated, "Today, hospitals in rural Missouri are in crisis. Nearly half are at risk of shutting down. That’s why Sen. Claire McCaskill is fighting back. [...] A daughter of rural Missouri, Claire McCaskill’s determined to protect rural health care."[9]

According to Politico, the $500,000 ad buy was in response to ads by the Senate Leadership Fund — a Republican super PAC for U.S. Senate candidates — which criticized McCaskill for her vote against confirming President Donald Trump's (R) U.S. Supreme Court nominee, Neil Gorsuch.[9]

2016 elections

The following table details the top 10 independent expenditures made by Senate Majority PAC during the 2016 election cycle, according to OpenSecrets, formerly known as the Center for Responsive Politics. The data was current as of Dec. 7, 2017.[10]

Top 10 largest Senate Majority PAC expenditures in 2016
CandidatePartyStateTotalForAgainst
Pat ToomeyRepublicanPennsylvania$15,016,190$0$15,016,190
Kelly AyotteRepublicanNew Hampshire$13,197,023$0$13,197,023
Joe HeckRepublicanNevada$9,240,196$0$9,240,196
Rob PortmanRepublicanOhio$7,761,418$0$7,761,418
Todd YoungRepublicanIndiana$4,827,088$0$4,827,088
Ron JohnsonRepublicanWisconsin$4,654,055$0$4,654,055
Richard BurrRepublicanNorth Carolina$4,493,053$0$4,493,053
Kathleen McGintyDemocratPennsylvania$4,267,737$4,267,737$0
Maggie HassanDemocratNew Hampshire$2,797,609$2,797,609$0
Marco RubioRepublicanFlorida$2,418,905$0$2,418,905

2014 elections

In December 2013, Senate Majority PAC began running television ads in North Carolina against then-U.S. Senate candidate Thom Tillis (R) and in support of then-Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.).[11] According to Roll Call, the $750,000 ad buy was "part of the group’s efforts to defend Democratic incumbents and candidates against GOP-aligned outside groups."[11]

2012 elections

During the 2014 election cycle, Senate Majority PAC raised over $53 million and made $47 million in independent expenditures, mostly in the form of campaign ads.[12] According to Time, the expenditures were "credited with keeping the races close and Democrats competitive."[12] Time also stated that the super PAC ran "more than 40,000 Senate-focused television ads" in the election cycle.[12]

Notable endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section displays endorsements this organization made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope. Know of one we missed? Click here to let us know.

Finances

The following is a breakdown of Senate Majority PAC's contributions and disbursements from 2010 to 2024. The information comes from the Federal Elections Commission (FEC).

Senate Majority PAC financial data 2010-2024
YearContributionsDisbursements
2024[13]$306.4 million$358.8 million
2023[14]$83.6 million$32.4 million
2022[15]$275.6 million$295.8 million
2021[16]$61.7 million$31.6 million
2020[17]$311.7 million$358.7 million
2019[18]$60.6 million$13.6 million
2018[19]$142.5 million$155.8 million
2017[20]$21.8 million$9.8 million
2016[21]$85.1 million$88.8 million
2015[22]$7.7 million$2.4 million
2014[23]$58.3 million$61. 3 million
2013[24]$8.6 million$5.6 million
2012[25]$39.6 million$40.7 million
2011[26]$2.5 million$1.4 million
2010[27]$4.3 million$4.1 million

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Senate Majority PAC, "Home," accessed December 30, 2025
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Politico, "Senate Dems launch 'super PAC'," February 22, 2011
  3. ↑ Senate Majority PAC, "About Us," accessed December 30, 2025
  4. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  5. ↑ The Hill, "Senate Majority PAC names Schumer ally as new leader," March 6, 2017
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Politico, "Senate Majority PAC drops $2 million ad hitting Wisconsin Republican Eric Hovde," March 5, 2024
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 NBC News, "Democratic super PAC launches new ad in N.C. Senate race," September 27, 2022
  8. ↑ Senate Majority PAC, "SMP affiliated groups announce $5 million investment in Georgia's runoff elections," November 17, 2020
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Politico, "Senate Democratic outside group launches radio ads defending McCaskill," April 18, 2017
  10. ↑ Center for Responsive Politics, "Outside Spending: Independent Expenditures, Electioneering Communication & Communication Costs by Targeted Candidate as of July 26, 2016," accessed July 26, 2016
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Roll Call, "Democratic Super PAC Drops Major Buy in North Carolina," December 5, 2013
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Time, "This Super PAC Was Behind 1 Out of Every 20 Senate Ads," November 3, 2014
  13. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "FEC Form 3X, Senate Majority PAC (Year End 2024)," accessed December 30, 2025
  14. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "FEC Form 3X, Senate Majority PAC (Year End 2023)," accessed December 30, 2025
  15. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "FEC Form 3X, Senate Majority PAC (Year End 2022)," accessed December 30, 2025
  16. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "FEC Form 3X, Senate Majority PAC (Year End 2021)," accessed December 30, 2025
  17. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "FEC Form 3X, Senate Majority PAC (Year End 2020)," accessed December 30, 2025
  18. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "FEC Form 3X, Senate Majority PAC (Year End 2019)," accessed July 29, 2020
  19. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "FEC Form 3X, Senate Majority PAC (Year End 2018)," accessed July 29, 2020
  20. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "FEC Form 3X, Senate Majority PAC (Year End 2017)," accessed July 29, 2020
  21. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "FEC Form 3X, Senate Majority PAC (Year End 2016)," accessed April 20, 2017
  22. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "FEC Form 3X, Senate Majority PAC (Year End 2015)," accessed June 1, 2016
  23. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "FEC Form 3X, Senate Majority PAC (Year End 2014)," accessed January 5, 2015
  24. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "FEC Form 3X, Senate Majority PAC (Year End 2013)," accessed January 5, 2015
  25. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "FEC Form 3X, Senate Majority PAC (Year End 2012)," accessed January 5, 2015
  26. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "FEC Form 3X, Majority PAC (Year End 2011, Amended)," accessed January 5, 2015
  27. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "FEC Form 3X, Commonsense Ten PAC (Year End 2010)," accessed January 5, 2015
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