FEC disclosures show Republican party committees exceeded the former federal caps on coordinated campaign spending by more than $48 million in July and August, versus just under $4 million for Democrats, after the Supreme Court struck down the limits in June.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee and National Republican Congressional Committee spent nearly $56 million in coordinated expenditures in July and August, compared with around $6 million by their Democratic counterparts. Republican committees’ coordinated spending was more than four times its level in the same months of 2022. The NRSC spent about $11 million supporting Ohio Sen. Jon Husted and about $8 million for North Carolina candidate Michael Whatley; both had been outraised by their Democratic opponents.
The June 30 ruling was 6-3; the court said the coordinated-spending caps violated First Amendment protections, while the 1971 law had imposed them to prevent corruption. A further rise in spending is expected in the coming weeks as party committees become eligible for discounted TV and radio rates. On September 4, the Supreme Court restored that eligibility while a legal challenge continues. The NRSC says the rates have historically been 3 to 13 times cheaper than those paid by outside political groups; Democratic candidates, including Sen. Jon Ossoff, sued to block the policy.
