Hybrid PAC (with Non-Contribution Account) - Qualified
Defend the Vote
FEC committee C00764233. Last filed October 19, 2026.
FEC C00764233Last filed 2026-10-19Totals through 2026-09-30
The short version
- Raised $17.2M and spent $17.2M in the 2026 cycle, through September 30, 2026.
- Biggest target: $7.1M opposing Jon Husted.
- $11.6M in general election independent expenditures reported in 24 and 48 hour notices.
- Largest donor on record: SMP (Organization), $11.7M.
What it is
Defend the Vote is registered with the FEC as a hybrid PAC, connected to Defend the Vote Leadership Fund. In 2026 it has reported $12.3M in independent expenditures across 4 races, 96% of it helping Democrats.
- Defend the Vote ← $11.7M from SMP (68% of its reported receipts) No donor disclosure
A hybrid PAC keeps two bank accounts: one that gives directly to candidates under contribution limits, and one that spends independently with unlimited money, like a super PAC.
Who is behind it
Described by Punchbowl News (via Washington Examiner) as a Democratic PAC; FEC lists Defend the Vote Leadership Fund as affiliated committee Source
Issues it says it stands for
- Data centers and power costs: $7M Ohio TV campaign saying Sen. Jon Husted took hundreds of thousands of dollars from data center developers
- group's stated goal to raise $10M in the 2026 cycle "to elect candidates, support organizations, and pass legislation"
Source: wedefendthevote.org. These are the group's own stated positions or the subjects of its ads as reported, not an FEC record.
Registration
| Type | Hybrid PAC (with Non-Contribution Account) - Qualified |
|---|---|
| Connected organization | Defend the Vote Leadership Fund |
| Treasurer | Lemek, Brian |
| Registered in | DC |
| First filed with the FEC | December 7, 2020 |
| Website | www.wedefendthevote.org |
Who it supports and opposes
Independent expenditures from its 24 and 48 hour notices, 2026 cycle.
| Position | Candidate | Race | General | Primary or other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oppose | Jon Husted R | OH Senate | $7.1M | $0 |
| Oppose | Mike Rogers R | MI Senate | $4.6M | $0 |
| Oppose | Luke Bronin D | CT-01 House | $0 | $516K |
| Support | Chris Pappas D | NH Senate | $0 | $100K |
Direct contributions to candidates
| Recipient | Given | Checks |
|---|---|---|
| Mothership Strategies | $906K | 25 |
| Defend the Vote Action Fund | $826K | 31 |
| American Express | $338K | 19 |
| Anticipate Public Affairs | $169K | 14 |
| Gbao Strategies | $33K | 1 |
| Yes on 50, the Election Rigging Response Act, Governor Newsom's Ballot Measure Committee | $25K | 1 |
| DSCC FEC | $15K | 1 |
| DCCC FEC | $15K | 1 |
| Creative Communications Inc. | $12K | 1 |
| Bluebird Technologies LLC | $10K | 1 |
| Normington Petts | $10K | 1 |
| Deb for New Mexico | $10K | 1 |
| Committee to Elect Aaron Ford | $10K | 1 |
| Spanberger for Governor | $10K | 1 |
| Mcbath for Governor Exploratory Committee | $10K | 1 |
Largest itemized contributions processed by the FEC, 2026 cycle.
Who funds it
Donor mix
| Source | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Small donors, $200 or less (not named) | $3.0M | 18% |
| Individuals giving over $200 (named) | $1.3M | 8% |
| Transfers from affiliated committees | $190K | 1% |
| Other receipts (companies, nonprofits, a hybrid PAC's unlimited account) | $12.6M | 73% |
| Total raised | $17.2M | 100% |
FEC committee totals, 2026 cycle, through September 30, 2026. The 10 largest donors include recent electronic filings, so their share can run ahead of these totals.
Largest named donors
| Donor | Type | Given | Checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| SMP | Organization No donor disclosure Recent filing | $11.7M | 4 |
| Defend the Vote Action Fund | Organization No donor disclosure | $801K | 7 |
| Democratic Movement FEC | PAC Recent filing | $171K | 10 |
| Defend The Vote Action Fund | Organization No donor disclosure Recent filing | $100K | 1 |
| Defend the Vote Leadership Fund FEC | Political committee | $14K | 3 |
| William Buffett Not Employed | Individual | $10K | 9 |
| Mcbath for Governor Exploratory Committee | Political committee | $8K | 1 |
| Fitzgerald Properties | Organization No donor disclosure | $7K | 1 |
| Devin Tuohey Self Employed | Individual | $5K | 1 |
| Maura Sullivan for Congress | Candidate committee Recent filing | $5K | 1 |
| Haley Stevens for Senate | Candidate committee Recent filing | $5K | 1 |
| Defend The Vote Leadership Fund | Political committee Recent filing | $4K | 1 |
| Carol Vander Meer Not Employed | Individual | $4K | 2 |
| Apollo Artistry | Organization No donor disclosure | $4K | 1 |
| David Coles Not Employed | Individual | $3K | 3 |
| Angela M. Mogin Not Employed | Individual | $3K | 3 |
| Stratford Dennis Goldman Sachs | Individual | $2K | 1 |
| Deborah Simon Not Employed | Individual | $2K | 2 |
| Josh Harder for Congress | Candidate committee Recent filing | $2K | 1 |
| Gisela Pikarsky Not Employed | Individual | $2K | 1 |
| Susan Harris Not Employed | Individual | $2K | 2 |
| Cynthia J. Wetzel Not Employed | Individual | $2K | 1 |
| Raymond L. Cole Not Employed | Individual | $2K | 1 |
| Molly White Self-Employed | Individual | $1K | 1 |
| Deborah Simo Not Employed | Individual | $1K | 1 |
Built from the 100 largest itemized receipts processed by the FEC through August 29, 2026, plus the largest receipts in reports filed electronically through September 30, 2026 (marked "Recent filing").
Where its individual donors work
| Employer | Given | Donations |
|---|---|---|
| Null | $809K | 10 |
| Durham's Tracklements | $4K | 209 |
| Goldman Sachs | $2K | 1 |
| University of Michigan | $2K | 67 |
| Suburban Street News, Inc | $2K | 89 |
| Ccc | $2K | 27 |
| Nasa | $2K | 68 |
| Saint Anselm College | $2K | 215 |
| Wayland Baptist University | $2K | 265 |
| George Nakashima Woodworkers | $2K | 143 |
Employer as reported by each donor, 2026 cycle, FEC processed totals. Retired, self employed and not employed donors are not shown.
Donors marked "No donor disclosure" are companies, LLCs or nonprofits. Unless they are themselves political committees, they do not have to report where their money came from. The disclosed trail ends there.
Primary Sources
- FEC committee page: fec.gov/data/committee/C00764233
- FEC filings: all reports filed by Defend the Vote
- Independent expenditures: fec.gov
- Receipts: fec.gov