Liberal-leaning group founded by ex-White House staffers Bill Burton and Sean Sweeney to counter American Crossroads/Crossroads GPS.
Players Guide
Who are the people and groups behind the TV ads in the 2014 federal elections? Below is a list of organizations that have been active or are expected to be active in raising and spending money to influence voters in 2014. Click on the links to read profiles of each organization. The groups were selected based on the amounts they have spent, or say they plan to spend, or the media attention they have attracted. It is not a comprehensive list, and additional groups will be added as the campaign season unfolds.
Many of these groups may legally raise and spend unlimited amounts of money. They are known as super PACs and must register with the Federal Election Commission. Others may legally raise unlimited donations and avoid disclosing their donors. Those groups do not file with the FEC, but register rather with the IRS under Section 501(c).
This is our third year providing a guide to groups seeking to influence federal elections. Our 2010 Players Guide and 2012 Players Guide are still available, although they have not been updated since those elections ended.
American Action Network / American Action Forum
Founded by a former Republican senator and a former GOP House aide. Leans GOP/Right-center.
AFL-CIO
Large federation of labor unions is strongly Democratic.
American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
Labor union representing 1.6 million employees including health care workers, corrections officers and sanitation workers. Leans Democratic.
Americans for Job Security
Pro-business group whose president is the former head of the New Hampshire Republican Party.
American Future Fund
Republican-leaning group formed by Iowa political figures.
Restore Our Future
A “super PAC” created by Republican Mitt Romney’s former campaign staffers to support his presidential candidacy.
House Majority PAC
A new “super PAC” focused on returning Democrats to the majority in the House.
Democracy for America
A liberal-leaning group founded by former DNC chairman Howard Dean.
Ending Spending
A fiscally conservative group founded by J. Joe Ricketts, a businessman who also founded Ameritrade.