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Senate Majority PAC

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Senate Majority PAC
Majority PAC logo.PNG
Basic facts
Location:Washington, D.C.
Type:Super PAC
Affiliation:Democrat
Top official:Stephanie Potter, Executive Director
Year founded:2010
Website:Official website


Senate Majority PAC[1] (formerly known as Commonsense Ten and Majority PAC) is a Democratic super PAC based in Washington, D.C., that supports Senate campaigns.[2][3] The super PAC was initially founded as a response to Republican outside groups, large Republican spending on anti-Democrat campaigns, and, according to their website the "Koch Brothers’ network."[4]

Mission

According to the Senate Majority PAC website, the following is the super PAC's current mission:[4]

“

Senate Majority PAC is fighting to take back the Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate. The Koch Brothers' secret network spent untold hundreds of millions to buy Senate seats for their right-wing candidates last year, but with your help, we will win back our Senate majority in 2016 and put a stop to their destructive right-wing agenda.[5]

”

Background

The Senate Majority PAC (SMPAC) was organized in 2010 (as Commonsense Ten) and modeled on the Patriot Majority PAC, according to Politico.[6] It was initially organized by former aides and advisors to Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Rebecca Lambe and Susan McCue as well as Patriot Majority PAC director, Craig Varoga, and former Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee operatives, J.B. Poersch and Jim Jordan, and Democratic fundraiser Monica Dixon and Democratic attorney Marc Elias.[6] The launch was aimed at preparing the Democratic Party to defend 23 seats in 2012 election and garnering support for Barack Obama's presidential re-election.[6] During the 2012 election cycle, the super PAC spent $42 million on campaigns and campaign ads.[7]

In 2014, Sen. Reid helped the SMPAC to raise money to maintain a Democratic majority in the Senate by encouraging donors to contribute to the super PAC. According to Politico, nine Senators, since 2012, had helped to bring in $1.4 million for the group. Among the Senators, Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.V.) contributed his personal funds. Sen. Reid and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) attended fundraising events for the super PAC. Other Senators have contributed via their own political funds, such as Reid's Searchlight Leadership Fund, Sen. Tim Kaine's (D-Va.) Common Ground leadership PAC, and Boxer's Change fund to Majority PAC.[7] By November 2014, SMPAC had put out 40,000 Senate campaign ads, which outnumbered all other outside groups, according to Time.[8] During the 2014 election cycle, the super PAC raised over $53 million and made $47 million in independent expenditures, mostly campaign ads. Time noted that the expenditures were "credited with keeping the races close and Democrats competitive."[8]

In 2015, SMPAC released two attack ads against Sen. Kelly Ayotte. According to Roll Call, the ads are part of a larger $300,000 ad buy in New Hampshire and part of a total of $550,000 spent in the state. In a counter attack, Republican outside groups have spent $2 million in ads against Ayotte's possible opponent, Gov. Maggie Hassan.[9][10]

Leadership

The following is a list of Senate Majority PAC's leadership team as of July, 2015:[11]

  • Stephanie Potter, Executive Director
  • Rebecca Lambe, Senior Advisor
  • Susan McCue, Senior Advisor
  • J.B. Poersch, Senior Advisor
  • Karyn Brockman, Finance Director
  • Peggy Yang, Research and Communications Advisor
  • Sean Kennedy, Research Director
  • Shripal Shah, Communications Director

Other members (past and present) of the super PAC include or have included Heather Podesta (board member) and Julianna Smoot (board member).[8][12]

Finances

Contributions and disbursements

The following is a breakdown of SMPAC's contributions and disbursements, as reported to the FEC.

SMPAC's contributions and disbursements
Year Contributions Disbursements
2015 (as June 30, 2015)[13] $1,302,725 $565,916
2014[14] $58,274,346 $61,301,000
2013[15] $8,640,114 $5,613,066
2012[16] $39,597,115 $40,726,094
2011[17] $2,524,425 $1,390,956
2010[18] $4,263,304 $4,088,816

2014 elections

From April 17-30, 2014, the PAC spent:[19][20]

As of April 11, 2013, Majority PAC had spent a total of $37,498,257, $3,651,229 for Democrats and $33,847,028 against Republicans.[21]

Top 10 largest Majority PAC expenditures in 2012[21]
Candidate Party State Office Total For Against Desired Result
George Allen Republican Party VA Senate $5,048,835 $0 $5,048,835
Yes.png
Tommy Thompson Republican Party WI Senate $4,682,491 $0 $4,682,491
Yes.png
Richard Mourdock Republican Party IN Senate $4,274,805 $0 $4,274,805
Yes.png
Rick Berg Republican Party ND Senate $3,252,808 $0 $3,252,808
Yes.png
Josh Mandel Republican Party OH Senate $3,228,003 $0 $3,228,003
Yes.png
Denny Rehberg Republican Party MT Senate $2,996,159 $0 $2,996,159
Yes.png
Linda McMahon Republican Party CT Senate $2,535,957 $0 $2,535,957
Yes.png
Jeff Flake Republican Party AZ Senate $2,065,097 $0 $2,065,097
No.png
Todd Akin Republican Party MO Senate $1,713,536 $0 $1,713,536
Yes.png
Dean Heller Republican Party NV Senate $1,147,384 $0 $1,147,384
No.png

Donors

The following is a breakdown of SMPAC's top donors.

SMPAC's top donors 2015 (as June 30, 2015)[13]
Name Contribution amount
Omnicom Capital, Inc. $540,967
American Federation of Teachers $250,000
Jon Stryker $250,000
Patriot Majority USA $124,044
Actblue $58,505
SMPAC's top donors 2014
Name Contribution amount
Fred Eychaner $5,000,000[22]
James Simons $5,000,000[23]
American Federation of Teachers $3,200,000[23]
Working for Americans $2,500,000[24]
Council for Job Growth, LLC $1,650,000[23]
SMPAC's top donors 2013
Name Contribution amount
Michael Bloomberg $2,500,000[25]
Massachusetts Teachers Association $700,000[26]
AFSCME $250,000[26]
George Marcus $250,000[26]
Priorities USA Action $250,000[26]
Working for Working Americans $250,000[26]
Waterfront Strategies $250,000[25]
Mary Boies $250,000[25]
David Boies $250,000[25]
SMPAC's top donors 2012
Name Contribution amount
Fred Eychaner $4,300,000[27]
James Simons $2,500,000[28]
Working for Working Americans $2,000,000[28]
American Federation of Teachers $2,000,000[27]
Franklin Haney $1,000,000[29]
AFSCME $1,000,000[28]

Media

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Senate Majority PAC. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Senate Majority PAC - Google News

External links

References

  1. ↑ FEC, "Statement of Organization, Senate Majority PAC," March 8, 2013"
  2. ↑ FEC, "Commonsense Ten, Statement of Organization," June 11, 2010
  3. ↑ FEC, "Statement of Organization, Majority PAC," March 9, 2011
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Senate Majority PAC, "Our Mission," accessed January 5, 2016
  5. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Politico, "Senate Dems Launch 'Super PAC'," February 23, 2011
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Politico, "Dems give big to Senate Majority PAC," June 2, 2014
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Time, "This Super PAC Was Behind 1 Out of Every 20 Senate Ads," November 3, 2014
  9. ↑ Roll Call, "Senate Majority PAC Releases Second Ad Attacking Ayotte at Home," September 2, 2015
  10. ↑ The Hill, "Senate Dem PAC’s first 2016 ad targets Ayotte," August 12, 2015
  11. ↑ Roll Call, "Exclusive: Senate Majority PAC Announces Senior Staff," July 9, 2015
  12. ↑ SMPAC, "Top Obama Strategist Joins Senate SuperPAC," accessed January 5, 2016
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 FEC, "FEC Form 3X, Senate Majority PAC (Mid Year 2015)," accessed January 5, 2015
  14. ↑ FEC, "FEC Form 3X, Senate Majority PAC (Year End 2014)," accessed January 5, 2015
  15. ↑ FEC, "FEC Form 3X, Senate Majority PAC (Year End 2013)," accessed January 5, 2015
  16. ↑ FEC, "FEC Form 3X, Senate Majority PAC (Year End 2012)," accessed January 5, 2015
  17. ↑ FEC, "FEC Form 3X, Majority PAC (Year End 2011, Amended)," accessed January 5, 2015
  18. ↑ FEC, "FEC Form 3X, Commonsense Ten PAC (Year End 2010)," accessed January 5, 2015
  19. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named check
  20. ↑ Open Secrets: "Majority PAC 2014 election cycle," accessed July 15, 2013
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 OpenSecrets: "Majority PAC Independent Expenditures," accessed July 15, 2013
  22. ↑ FEC, "FEC Form 3X, Senate Majority PAC (April 2014)," accessed January 5, 2015
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 FEC, "FEC Form 3X, Senate Majority PAC (Post General 2014)," accessed January 5, 2015
  24. ↑ FEC, "FEC Form 3X, Senate Majority PAC (Pre General 2014, Amended)," accessed January 5, 2015
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 FEC, "FEC Form 3X, Senate Majority PAC (Year End 2013)," accessed January 5, 2015
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 26.4 FEC, "FEC Form 3X, Senate Majority PAC (Post Special 2013)," accessed January 5, 2015
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 FEC, "FEC Form 3X, Senate Majority PAC (Post General 2012)," accessed January 5, 2015
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 FEC, "FEC Form 3X, Senate Majority PAC (October 2012)," accessed January 5, 2015
  29. ↑ FEC, "FEC Form 3X, Senate Majority PAC (Pre General 2012)," accessed January 5, 2015
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