Democratic Super PAC Raises Huge Amount To Win Back The House

January 31, 2014

WASHINGTON — House Majority PAC, a super PAC dedicated to electing Democrats to the House of Representatives, raised more than $4.4 million in the last six months of 2013, according to a report filed on Friday.

The group pulled in big contributions from labor unions, and $500,000 contributions from lawyer David Boies, a regular before the Supreme Court, and Donald Sussman, a hedge fund executive who also is the husband of Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree (Maine). Labor unions representing workers in nearly a dozen industries and occupations, from firefighters to teachers, contributed a total of $1.64 million.

For the entire year, House Majority PAC raised $7.8 million. That more than doubles the $3 million the group raised in 2011.

“House Majority PAC’s record fundraising demonstrates that not only are people fed up with this reckless Republican Congress but also they’re ready to step up and combat the Koch brothers and their right-wing allies who are spending unprecedented sums to promote that recklessness,” House Majority PAC spokesman Andy Stone said in an emailed message.

The super PAC is already spending money to protect endangered Democratic incumbents, including Rep. Nick Rahall (W.Va.), and attacking Republican targets like Rep. Mike Coffman (Colo.).

The group is popular among House Democrats, who credit its work with helping the party pick up seats in the 2012 elections. Following the campaign, a handful of freshmen lawmakers appeared in a video made by the super PAC to explain how grateful they were for House Majority PAC’s work.

“If it weren’t for House Majority PAC, I wouldn’t be here today,” says Rep. Krysten Sinema (D-Ariz.) in the video.