Your State And Local Elections Are Now A Super PAC Playground
Don't underestimate the importance of super PAC money in local elections this year.
WASHINGTON -- The influence of billionaires in the post-Citizens United era is in no way limited to the 2016 presidential and congressional elections.
While the super-wealthy dominate those races, local and state elections in 2015 are also attracting big money from Forbes-listed billionaires and local wealthy interests that's funneled through super PACs.
Not all states, cities and municipalities hold elections on even-numbered years. On Nov. 3, voters in Kentucky and Mississippi will hold gubernatorial and legislative elections, and voters in New Jersey and Virginia will vote on legislative candidates. Louisiana held its pre-runoff election for governor and many other down-ballot races on Oct. 24, and will hold a runoff on Nov. 21. Many other cities and municipalities have held or will hold elections this year, including Chicago, Philadelphia, Nashville and Dallas, among many others.
Super PACs and nonprofits -- in some cases connected to a single candidate -- have taken on a dominant role in many of these elections. Super PAC spending on state and local elections often has more of a direct influence on government than spending on the more talked-about 2016 presidential election. In many cases, donations to these unlimited money groups come from developers, contractors and special interest groups looking to gain special favors from their local government.
“When you look at smaller races, the relative importance of outside spending increases, both in terms of outcome of election and influencing policy,” said Rick Hasen, a University of California, Irvine law professor and author of the forthcoming Plutocrats United: Campaign Money, the Supreme Court, and the Distortion of American Elections.
Super PACs emerged after the Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision opened the door to unlimited donations from corporations, unions and -- following a related lower court ruling -- wealthy individuals, so long as they remain independent of candidates. The court's belief in such independence has not, however, played out in the real world.
Super PAC spending on state and local elections often has more of a direct influence on government than spending on the more talked-about 2016 presidential election.
Super PACs are spending the most on the two hotly contested gubernatorial races in Kentucky and Louisiana. Some groups raising unlimited sums for Kentucky’s gubernatorial race, including the ones involved only in the primary election, have collected more than $14 million. Those involved in Louisiana’s election have pulled in more than $16 million.
The key role of super PACs in off-year gubernatorial races became clear in 2013, when Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) launched the Fund for Louisiana’s Future, a super PAC to support either his Senate re-election or a run for governor. Vitter opted for the latter, coming in first in Louisiana's Oct. 24 gubernatorial election without winning an outright majority. He's now advancing to a Nov. 21 runoff against the No. 2 finisher, Democrat John Bel Edwards, and well-funded interests have donated significant sums to his super PAC.
Cheniere Energy donated $125,000 to Vitter’s super PAC. The natural gas company has already received more than $1.7 billion in property tax relief and other incentives and rebates to expand its liquefied natural gas export site at Sabine Pass. MCNA Health Care, the contractor running Louisiana’s Children's Health Insurance Program dental program and Medicaid, also contributed $100,000 to Vitter’s super PAC. New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson and his wife, Gayle Benson, have contributed $37,500. The state gave the Saints a sweetheart deal on a stadium renovation in 2009.
The pro-Vitter super PAC spent most of its money on beating back fellow Republicans Scott Angelle and Jay Dardenne in Louisiana's open general election. The Republican Governors Association has meanwhile pumped $3.2 million into another super PAC to help Vitter in the runoff.
LA Families First -- the super PAC backing Edwards, Vitter’s Democratic runoff opponent -- is mostly funded by teachers unions and labor unions, including the International Brotherhood Your State And Local Elections Are Now A Super PAC Playground:
