Who are the groups backing candidates in the midterms – and why? In our second live discussion ahead of the elections, Joseph Gedeon, Dara Kerr and Chris Stein are live now
NorthLondonIsRed asks: When a Super PAC or corporate donor spends heavily on a race, what does that money actually buy in practice? Is it mostly ad volume, field organizing, opposition research, or something else? And how much measurable difference does that spending make in swinging votes compared to factors like incumbency or local turnout?
Chris Stein: A Super Pac has wide latitude for what it can spend its funds on in support of a candidate or cause. Typically, Super Pacs run advertisements in the media — think television, streaming services and websites — produce campaign signs and bumper stickers, and fund canvassing and phone banking. Does this make a difference? It depends on the race. This year, the Super Pac connected to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac), called the United Democracy Project (UDP), spent heavily to support Democratic congressman Wesley Bell in St Louis, Missouri, who was facing a primary challenge from Cori Bush, the former US House lawmaker he unseated with the UDP’s assistance in 2024. Bush was outspent and Bell won his primary by a wide margin, but when I reported on this race from St Louis it became clear the former congresswoman had other issues beside lack of funds. But UDP also spent heavily in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary to support congresswoman Haley Stevens against Abdul El-Sayed. It didn’t work — El-Sayed won the nomination, albeit by a narrower margin than expected.
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Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/community/live/2026/sep/24/reader-qa-ask-our-reporting-team-about-whos-spending-what-on-the-midterms
Author : Guardian moderators (now); Joseph Gedeon, Dara Kerr and Chris Stein (from 11am EDT)
Publish date : 2026-09-25 15:07:00
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