Though spending on the presidential race is actually down a little for the first time in years, competitive U.S. Senate races are raising and spending money at a record-breaking pace.
Continue readingWhy are some cities so good at releasing open data? (Pt. 1)
While many cities have made open data progress in recent years, the City Open Data Census has seen a handful of cities consistently rise to the top. Why is that?
Continue readingRealtors put down money on the (U.S.) House
The National Association of Realtors flooded three congressional races with $2.1 million on behalf of candidates whose policies are popular with realtors.
Continue readingCampaign intelligence: Nearly $110 million in independent expenditures this primary season
The vast majority of this spending is aimed at Republicans.
Continue readingOn gun control, states are where the action is
While their efforts to win new federal gun regulations stalled out this year, gun control advocates did win some victories in big states.
Continue readingBarrage of political campaign spending follows shootings at Sandy Hook
Even in an "off" election year, groups on both sides of the gun debate spent millions to influence public opinion, and some have stockpiled big warchests for 2014.
Continue readingUnions, Obama dark money group press GOP on immigration
A new fight over immigration appears to be brewing, but it likely has more to do with the 2014 elections than with any real chance legislation will be passed.
House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, appeared to close that door on Wednesday, when he ruled out any negotiations over the sweeping immigration law the Senate passed in June. On the same day, Organizing for Action, the dark money committee that grew out of President Barack Obama's campaign, sent an email to supporters calling on them to pressure Republican lawmakers to take up the immigration bill. The committee suggested targeting Rep ...
Continue readingDespite Bloomberg funded ad campaign, Nevada’s Sandoval vetoed gun bill
In Nevada, where a school shooting school shooting today left two dead--including the shooter--and two injured, the governor vetoed a bill last June that would have strengthened background check laws.
Gov. Brian Sandoval, a Republican, rejected the measure despite an advertising blitz by the pro gun control group funded largely by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Mayors Against Illegal Guns.
The pro-gun control group advertised early and often Las Vegas this year, according to a search on Political Ad Sleuth, the Sunlight tool that tracks spending on political ads. Ads began in March and the most recent one aired ...
Continue readingDemocrats making shutdown an issue in swing races
Democrats are making a political bet that swing voters will make Republicans pay for the shutdown of the federal government.
Sunlight's Ad Hawk database, which tracks political ads and enables smartphone users to identify sources of money behind them, picked up four ads on Thursday by Democratic candidates or political action committees that tie GOP officeholders to the shutdown.
In Virginia, where voters go to the polls Nov. 5 to elect a new governor, Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe is linking his GOP opponent, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, to Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, whose outspoken opposition to the implementation of ...
Continue readingPolitical ad watch: Now starring Steve King
Rep. Steve King has a starring role in a Democratic ad blitz that seeks to hang the Iowa Republican's latest controversial remarks about immigrants around the necks of Republicans trying to appeal to constituencies with heavily Hispanic votes.
The political powerhouse labor union SEIU has just released a Spanish-language ad that targets seven Republican House members, challenging them to say whether they agree with comments that "insult our families" or support legislation that would provide millions of immigrants now living illegally in the United States with a pathway to citizenship. Sunlight spotted the new campaign on Ad Hawk, our ...
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