OpenSecrets, a nonprofit group tracking money in politics, projected nearly $12 billion in national spending on election campaigns, including almost $3.9 billion from groups operating outside individual candidate campaigns. In Wisconsin, outside groups, including super PACs, spent nearly $90 million on local races.
Michael Kang, professor at Northwestern's Pritzker School of Law, said the unprecedented amount of money poured into the election cycle underscored what he described as the practical collapse of campaign finance regulations and the need for reform.
"If you looked at what we've tried to accomplish through campaign finance regulation over the last half-century, we would want better disclosure of what's going on and where the money's coming from, even if you don't have a problem with the amounts of money spent," Kang explained.
He said the election cycle demonstrated money does not always guarantee victory. Kang pointed to deep political sentiment, which outweighed even enormous campaign war chests. Conservative-aligned groups accounted for nearly 80% of reported outside spending in Wisconsin, yet Democrats won the historic governor's race and flipped both chambers of the state Legislature.
Nationally, Democrats will control the House and Senate, the result of widespread voter frustration with the Trump administration. Kang noted big spending on either side matters and does not go unnoticed.
"Politicians pay attention to who gives them money. That's one thing we know, and it gives outsize importance to a very small handful of people who contribute a wildly disproportionate amount of money in our system," Kang emphasized.
Stronger disclosure requirements could help voters better understand who is behind political spending. But Kang acknowledged with little prospect of bipartisan action and constitutional limits on regulation, the current system is unlikely to change anytime soon.
"The 'outside' money is where the growth is really explosive right now. This could be a record for a particular election cycle, but I feel pretty confident that in 2028 they're going to break it," Kang projected.
