Political Leanings: Republican/Pro-Ben Carson Super PAC
Spending Target: Unknown
One Vote is a super PAC supporting Republican presidential candidate and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson. It was created in March 2015 by Andy Yates, a Republican operative in North Carolina, who has worked on campaigns for multiple state legislators, including Republican Rep. Mark Meadows.
Yates, who serves as executive director of the PAC, has stated that One Vote’s focus is on “aggressive paid media advertising,” and has described the PAC as “the chosen Super PAC of the Ben Carson exploratory committee.” Carson campaign spokesman Doug Watts has also declared One Vote to be the “unofficially sanctioned” super PAC of the Carson campaign.
As a Super PAC, One Vote can raise unlimited amounts of money, but must disclose the source of its donations. It also cannot coordinate its spending or other actions with the campaign it supports.
As of its most recent filing report in July, One Vote had raised $150,000 from three donors. Carl Berg, a California real estate billionaire and former member of the Forbes 400, donated $50,000. Another $50,000 came from David Couch, the CEO of North Carolina-based real estate development firm Blue Ridge Companies. And the other $50,000 was donated by DFC Holdings, LLC, the parent company of Dole Food.
In its mid-year filing, One Vote reported spending $49,875, mostly on media consulting and fundraising.