The Corporate Democrats: 53 House Dems who were majority-funded by business PACs
Over one-in-four House Democratic incumbents that won re-election in 2020 had political action committees affiliated with business interests provide a majority of funding for their campaigns.
“I don’t consider him a progressive at all,” said Anthony Clark, noting how the Democratic incumbent he was challenging in 2018, Danny Davis (IL-07), says he “opposes corporate PAC money”. Nevertheless, the self-described “people’s congressman” won re-election in 2018 with over 72% of his campaign fundraising coming from business PACs. In 2020, Rep. Davis won re-election with 73% of campaign fundraising coming from business PACs, according to data published by OpenSecrets. He is currently attempting to fend off yet another progressive challenger, Kina Collins, in the 2022 campaign.
Davis is one of five House Democratic incumbents who raised more than 70 percent of their campaign funds from business PACs while running on Biden’s “surprisingly progressive” platform.
The average tenure for the top five business PAC recipients is 16 years, further proof that many backbenchers coast on the power of the incumbency by cozying up to wealthy corporate interests — particularly in real estate and finance capital. For example, Rep. David Scott (GA-13) sourced nearly three-quarters (73%) of his campaign’s funds from businesses, a total of $880,750. Of that, an astounding 55% came from PACs affiliated with finance, insurance, and real estate:
Overall, this would mean that finance capital represents well over a third (39.8%) of Rep. Scott’s campaign funding. Prospect described Scott as “a reliable co-sponsor for Republican bills to deregulate derivatives markets,” and POLITICO reported that he cut checks worth $643,000 to his own family using campaign funds.
For any of these Democrats, and the others majority-funded by business PACs, it is wholly dishonest to tell voters that their campaign is “progressive”, “grassroots”, or “people-powered”. Democrats like Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) sends fundraising emails describing his campaign as “grassroots” when, in fact, 51% of contributions come from business PACs. He’s being challenged by Jason Call in 2022. Or Democrats like Rep. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) who describes himself as a “bold and unapologetic progressive” but sourced 53% of campaign funds from business PACs like Amazon and Citigroup. Gomez was challenged by David Kim in 2020.
In total, 53 incumbent House Democrats re-elected in 2020 received a majority of their campaign contributions from business PACs:
To contrast, only six incumbent House Democrats were majority-funded by small donors: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14; 79.5%), Lori Trahan (MA-03; 79.5%), Adam Schiff (CA-28; 59%), Ilhan Omar (MN-05; 57.7%), Nancy Pelosi (CA-12; 56.2%), and Katie Porter (CA-45; 52.01%).
Progressive and left candidates challenging House Democratic incumbents should make campaign finance a central part to their argument for why a challenge is necessary. Beyond the urgent need for a Green New Deal and winning the guarantees for basic human rights like housing, education, and healthcare, these Corporate Democrats must be held to account for the overwhelming financial influence from capital.
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