Players Guide

Who are the people and groups behind the TV ads in 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.

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.

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).

We’ve been providing a guide to groups seeking to influence federal elections since 2010.