WASHINGTON — October 21, 2026. Republican and Democratic political committees reported a combined roughly $192 million in coordinated spending on congressional races from July through September, following a U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down federal limits on this type of party spending.
According to a Reuters analysis of Federal Election Commission filings published Wednesday, Republican committees spent approximately $137 million on coordinated House and Senate campaigns during those three months. Democratic committees reported about $55 million. Compared with the previously applicable limits, Republican committees exceeded the old caps by more than $126 million and Democratic committees by more than $46 million, Reuters reported.
What changed in the law?
In a June 30 ruling in National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Election Commission, the Supreme Court held that statutory limits on spending coordinated between political parties and their federal candidates violated the First Amendment. The Federal Election Commission summarized the decision and noted that disclosure and earmarking requirements remain relevant safeguards. The judgment did not eliminate campaign-finance reporting requirements or all restrictions on political contributions.
The previous coordinated-spending limits varied by office and state population. Before the June decision, they were listed by the FEC at $65,300 to $130,600 for most House races and up to about $4.1 million for Senate races. The agency now cautions that its published limit tables have not yet been revised to reflect the ruling.
Why it matters before November 3
Reuters found that more than two-thirds of the two parties’ reported coordinated spending during the July–September period occurred in September, when political party committees also began taking advantage of an FCC policy expanding access to discounted broadcast advertising rates. Republican committees spent more than Democratic committees during this reporting period; the figures describe spending reported so far, not final election totals or an assessment of future voting results.
Reuters reported that the three principal national Republican committees held approximately $187 million in cash and $20 million in debt at the end of September, while the corresponding Democratic committees held roughly $100 million in cash and $15 million in debt. Additional expenditure reports may change the totals as the November 3 election approaches.
By SNN Newsroom. Sources: Federal Election Commission; Reuters analysis of committee filings, October 21, 2026.
