Priorities USA Action
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| Priorities USA Action | |
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| Basic facts | |
| Location: | Washington, D.C. |
| Type: | Super PAC |
| Affiliation: | Democratic |
| Founder(s): | Bill Burton, Sean Sweeney |
| Year founded: | 2011 |
| Website: | Official website |
Priorities USA Action is a super PAC founded by Bill Burton and Sean Sweeney, former White House aides to President Barack Obama (D). The organization supported Obama in his 2012 re-election campaign and Hillary Clinton (D) in her 2016 presidential campaign.[1]
In August 2020, the Center for Responsive Politics identified Priorities USA Action as the largest satellite group spending in the 2020 election cycle. The majority of the group's spending went to presidential election messaging in support of former Vice President Joe Biden (D) and against President Donald Trump (R). Ads focused on the coronavirus pandemic, economy, and Trump's governing style.[2]
In 2020, The Hill called Priorities USA Action the largest Democratic super PAC.[3]
Mission
As of September 2020, the website for Priorities USA Action listed the following mission statement:[4]
| “ |
Americans know what their priorities are: They want opportunities for themselves and security for their families. They don’t want to go broke when they get sick. They want to know that someone’s listening to them and fighting for them, and they want their voices to be heard in a political system that attacks their voting rules and is ruled by special interests. Progressives fight for these values every day, and to support that fight Priorities USA is building permanent infrastructure to engage Americans of all backgrounds at all times — not just on the eve of an election. The wealthy and big corporations know they have Donald Trump in their corner to fight for their priorities. We are helping build a powerful progressive movement that informs, energizes, and empowers average Americans to fight and win for their priorities in 2017, 2018, and 2020.[5] |
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Background
Established in 2011, Priorities USA Action was initially a pro-Barack Obama super PAC. It was founded by Bill Burton and Sean Sweeney, two former White House aides under Obama.[6] The two men had also worked with Rahm Emanuel in 2006, when Emanuel was serving as director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.[6] The super PAC played a large role in Obama's 2012 re-election operation, garnering nearly $60 million in contributions prior to the general election in 2012 and spending $51 million on independent expenditures.[7]
Work
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2020
Presidential election
- See also: Presidential election, 2020
In January 2020, Priorities USA announced it planned to launch a $150 million anti-Donald Trump ad campaign in Wisconsin in February and Florida, Pennsylvania, and Michigan in March.[8]
As part of a $65 million ad reservation in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, Priorities USA began airing ads focused on Trump's response to the coronavirus pandemic in April 2020.[9]
In September 2020, Priorities USA said it would use $5.4 million, donated by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (D), to launch an ad campaign across Florida's 10 media markets. Guy Cecil, the super PAC's chairman said, “If Joe Biden wins Florida, he wins the election. Mike Bloomberg's support means we can continue the important work of connecting with Florida voters to hold Donald Trump accountable for his utter failure in combating the coronavirus."[10] Priorities USA also partnered with the Latino Victory Fund to launch radio ads in Florida.[11]
To encourage mail-in voting, Priorities USA launched a $7.5 million advertising campaign with the Senate Majority PAC in September 2020. The campaign targeted voters in Arizona, Florida, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.[12]
2017
Annette Taddeo special election
In September 2017, Priorities USA Action supported Annette Taddeo with digital campaigning in the final days of the special election to fill the seat for District 40 in the Florida State Senate. According to Axios, "Priorities USA worked as a digital team for the Florida Democratic Party, deploying three types of ads: 'positive' messages about Taddeo's platform; 'Trump' that said things like 'A vote against Diaz is a vote against Trump'; and 'vote early' ads."[13]
2016
Hillary Clinton endorsement
In January 2014, the super PAC announced that it would formally support Hillary Clinton's 2016 bid for president, recruiting former Obama aides Jim Messina, Jeremy Bird, and Mitch Stewart as well as former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm (D).[14][1]
Partnerships
In January 2014, Priorities began coordinating with other pro-Clinton groups, including Ready PAC (formally Ready for Hillary), Correct the Record, and the Center for American Progress.[1]
In August 2015, Priorities USA Action teamed up with Correct the Record to solicit contributions jointly.[15] In September 2015, John Podesta, then Clinton's campaign chairman, began working with Priorities to help raise funding.[16]
On July 12, 2016, Priorities USA teamed up with other outside groups to air anti-Trump ads on Facebook, Instagram, and Pandora. Priorities, Planned Parenthood Votes, the League of Conservation Voters Victory Fund, the Latino Victory Fund, and the EMILY's List-affiliated super PAC Women Vote! released six digital anti-Donald Trump ads, spending $500,000 to attack Trump on his stance on women, abortion, immigration, climate change, minimum wage, and education.[17]
Voter turnout strategy
In an interview with Politico on July 29, 2016, chairman Guy Cecil highlighted the super PAC's strategy aimed at increasing voter turnout, stating that the group would spend $10 million to "make sure we are doing everything we can to turn folks out."[18] Cecil said that the super PAC would balance its focus between Democratic voters and undecided voters. According to Cecil, the ad campaign included an "expanded buy in Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and Pennsylvania focused on African Americans. We’re going to be launching Spanish-language advertising in Miami, Tampa and Orlando."[18] The group also worked to register voters, spending $2 million to aid "a coalition of Hispanic groups ... in Colorado, Nevada and Florida."[18]
Advertising activity
Primary election
- According to Politico, Priorities USA Action paid six-figures for ad space in January 2016 to respond to accusations made by Karl Rove's American Crossroads in an ad. The Crossroads ad, which aired in Iowa, charged that Clinton was an ally of Wall Street. Chairman Guy Cecil stated, "Karl Rove and the Republicans are trying to interfere in the Iowa Democratic caucus because they don’t want to run against Hillary Clinton in November. We're not going to let that stand.”[19]
- In mid-February 2016, the super PAC announced that it would make $5 million in independent expenditures during the primary, contrary to earlier plans to withhold spending until the general election.[20]
- According to an April 2016 report by CNN, the organization reserved a total of $125 million in television and digital ad buys to air after California's June 8, 2016, primary, one of the last primary contests in the nation.[21]
General election
- The New York Times reported on March 22, 2016, that the super PAC reserved $70 million for television ads after the Democratic National Convention, focusing its activity in Ohio, Florida, Colorado, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, and Virginia.[22]
- On August 2, 2016, NBC News reported that Hillary Clinton and Priorities USA Action planned to spend, collectively, $97 million more on TV ads than Donald Trump and the pro-Trump super PAC, Rebuilding America Now.[23]
- Politico reported on August 3, 2016, that Priorities USA decided to delay airing ads in Colorado for two weeks, noting that this was a reflection of the "Democrats' growing confidence in the battleground state."[24] On the following day, August 4, 2016, Priorities announced that it was pausing ads in Virginia. Politico stated that the super PAC's new ad buys included Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania, where ads were aired through Labor Day.[25]
- In August, CBS News reported that Priorities had suspended ads in Pennsylvania, in addition to its previously added states to a list of battleground states that the super PAC had slowed ad activity in, including Colorado and Virginia.[26]
- On October 12, 2016, Politico reported that Priorities stopped running ads in the battleground state of Colorado in the final weeks leading up to Election Day on November 8. The decision to stop running ads was, according to Politico, a reflection of the confidence the super PAC had that Clinton would remain the frontrunner in that state.[27]
Leadership
As of June 2017, Guy Cecil—the field director for Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign—was the chairman of Priorities USA Action.[28]
Finances
2019
According to documents filed with the Federal Election Commission, Priorities USA Action reported $13.6 million in total receipts and $3.8 million in total disbursements for the calendar year 2019.[29]
Legal status
Priorities USA Action is a super PAC. A super PAC is a political committee that can solicit and spend unlimited sums of money. A super PAC cannot contribute directly to a politician or political party, but it can spend independently to campaign for or against political figures. These committees are also called independent expenditure-only committees. A super PAC is not legally considered a political action committee (PAC) and as such is regulated under separate rules.[39][40]
Media
The following videos are samples of media produced by Priorities USA Action:
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Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Priorities USA Action. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
- Priorities USA Action
- Priorities USA Action on Facebook
- Priorities USA Action on Twitter
- Priorities USA Action on YouTube
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 The New York Times, "Huge ‘Super PAC’ Is Moving Early to Back Clinton," January 23, 2014
- ↑ Center for Responsive Politics, "Outside spending surpasses half-billion mark as 2020 election nears," August 13, 2020
- ↑ The Hill, "Top Democratic super PAC pulls in $36.6 million in second quarter," July 17, 2020
- ↑ Priorities USA, "About Priorities USA," accessed September 22, 2020
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 The New York Times, "Can the Democrats Catch Up in the Super-PAC Game?" July 5, 2012
- ↑ FEC, "FEC Form 3X, Priorities USA Action (Pre General, 2012)," accessed January 25, 2016
- ↑ The New York Times, "Democratic Super PAC Books First TV Ads in $150 Million Anti-Trump Push," January 14, 2020
- ↑ The Hill, "Trump made 'America first' in coronavirus deaths, charges Democratic super PAC ad," April 28, 2020
- ↑ The Hill, "op Democratic super PAC launches Florida ad blitz after Bloomberg donation," September 17, 2020
- ↑ Florida Politics, "Priorities USA and Latino Victory Fund launch Joe Biden Spanish-language radio ad buy," September 19, 2020
- ↑ CNN, "Democratic groups launch $7.5 million campaign to encourage voting by mail," August 24, 2020
- ↑ Axios, "National progressive group goes local to help FL Dem win," September 27, 2017
- ↑ Politico, "Granholm resigns from pro-Clinton super PAC," August 14, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "How a super PAC plans to coordinate directly with Hillary Clinton’s campaign," May 12, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "Pro-Clinton super PAC sees $25 million haul since July," September 18, 2015
- ↑ USA Today, "Progressive groups team up to hit Trump with 6 new ads," July 12, 2016
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Politico, "Playbook," July 29, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "Clinton super PAC answers Rove ad," January 19, 2016
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Super PAC moves to ramp up financial firepower for Clinton," February 12, 2016
- ↑ CNN, "First on CNN: Pro-Clinton super PAC announces March fundraising haul," April 20, 2016
- ↑ The New York Times, "Hillary Clinton’s Backers Prepare General Election Ad Blitz," March 22, 2016
- ↑ NBC News, "Clinton, Allies Have Reserved $98 Million in Ads," August 2, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "Clinton super PAC scales back Colorado ad buy," August 3, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "Clinton pauses ads in Virginia in sign of confidence," August 4, 2016
- ↑ CBS News, "Hillary Clinton super PAC suspends spending in three key states," August 16, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "Clinton-backing super PAC signals confidence in Colorado," October 12, 2016
- ↑ ‘’USA Today’’, “Democrats have a viable path forward: Guy Cecil,” February 15, 2017
- ↑ FEC, "FILING FEC-1379544," accessed September 22, 2020
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Priorities USA Action Year-End Report, 2016," January 31, 2017
- ↑ Politico, "Clinton super PAC expanded war chest with $3 million from Sabans," May 20, 2016
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 Federal Election Commission, "Priorities USA Action Year-End Report, 2015," January 31, 2016
- ↑ FEC, "FEC Form 3X, Priorities USA Action (Mid Year, 2015)," accessed January 25, 2016
- ↑ FEC, "FEC Form 3X, Ready PAC (Mid Year, 2015)," accessed January 21, 2016
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Priorities USA Action Year-End Report, 2014," January 31, 2016
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Priorities USA Action Year-End Report, 2013," January 31, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Priorities USA Action Year-End Report, 2012," January 31, 2013
- ↑ 38.0 38.1 Federal Election Commission, "Priorities USA Action Year-End Report, 2011," December 19, 2012
- ↑ The Atlantic, "The New York Times' Disingenuous Campaign Against Citizens United," February 24, 2012
- ↑ The New York Times, "Who's Financing the 'Super PACs?" May 7, 2012
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