A new $120 million commitment has been made to support President Biden and his allies, bringing the total anticipated spending from outside groups working to re-elect Mr. Biden to $1 billion this year. The League of Conservation Voters, a prominent climate organization known for supporting progressive causes, revealed its plans to back Mr. Biden amidst challenges faced by his Republican opponent, former President Donald J. Trump, in fundraising. Mr. Biden’s campaign, separate from these outside groups, is expected to raise and spend $2 billion for his re-election bid.
While Republican groups are also expected to spend heavily leading up to November, it is challenging to directly compare the Democratic organizations with their Republican counterparts. Democratic and progressive groups often announce their spending plans before raising the funds, which typically come from small donors. Republican groups, which rely more on major donors, tend to keep their plans private.
The pro-Biden outside funding comes from a variety of organizations including climate groups, labor unions, and traditional super PACs. Major spenders include Future Forward, the Service Employees International Union, and American Bridge. The League of Conservation Voters plans to use its funding to support an advertising campaign and field program encouraging supporters to vote for Mr. Biden.
The $1 billion pledged for Mr. Biden does not account for additional spending from organizations like Planned Parenthood and groups supported by Michael R. Bloomberg. One Republican group, Faith & Freedom, led by a Trump ally, announced plans to spend $62 million to mobilize evangelical voters for Mr. Trump. The disparity in spending between pro-Biden and pro-Trump groups reflects the cash advantage Mr. Biden’s campaign holds over Mr. Trump’s.
Despite restrictions on coordination, the Biden campaign has publicly welcomed the support of outside groups. Mr. Maysmith of the League of Conservation Voters mentioned plans to collaborate with other pro-Biden super PACs to avoid duplication and strengthen their efforts. With the large expenditures by outside groups, there is hope that if Mr. Biden is re-elected with Democratic majorities in Congress, there may be progress towards limiting the influence of large sums in American politics.
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