2026 candidate · follow the money
Who funds James Carlin?
The money.
- Raised
- $494K
- Spent
- $489K
- Cash on hand
- $5,266
- Debts
- $356K
- Individuals 28% $137K
- Candidate's own money & loans 71% $352K
- Other receipts 1% $5,355
Campaign totals through Jun 30, 2026.
No independent expenditures for or against this filing are itemized in the bulk file.
Who gave.
Who gives $137K from individuals
40% in small-dollar gifts
$55K of $137K came unitemized: from donors whose gifts to the campaign this cycle total $200 or less, whom the campaign does not have to name.
91% from Iowa · 9% from elsewhere
Of itemized gifts, by the state on each donor's mailing address. Giving from other states is lawful and common.
Top states
- Iowa $74K
- Minnesota $3,750
- Florida $3,500
- Nebraska $500
Retired, self-employed, not employed or not given: $80K. Employers named by fewer than three donors, or filed as a person's name: $1,585, not listed so no one donor is singled out.
Summary through Jun 30, 2026. Itemized gifts dated Feb 10, 2025 to May 29, 2026, net of refunds (93 entries). Every itemized contribution on FEC.gov ↗
From the principal campaign committee's FEC reports; joint-fundraising transfers and later reports are not included, and no donor is named here. A contribution is not evidence of a vote, favor or wrongdoing.
Outside money in the final weeks.
No 24- or 48-hour report in the FEC file read November 4, 2026 names James Carlin.
Where it went.
Where the money went $475K in itemized spending
- Advertising & outreach 39% $183K
- Consultants & strategy 27% $130K
- Staff & payroll 17% $82K
- Fundraising & processing fees 2% $8,375
- Polling, research & data 0.6% $2,700
- Travel, meals & events 2% $10K
- Office, technology & overhead 10% $49K
- Legal & compliance 0.5% $2,348
- Other or unclassified 1% $6,858
Largest payees
- BPM MARKETING LLC $95K
- INTUIT $85K
- MUDD, INC. $23K
- QUICKBOOKS $20K
- DYNES DESIGN $20K
Paid to individuals: $69K, such as staff, contractors and reimbursements. People who were paid are not named here.
Payments dated Feb 19, 2025 to Jun 26, 2026, as itemized by the principal campaign committee in FEC reports (640 entries). Every payment on FEC.gov ↗
Grouped by each campaign's own description of the payment, so the groups are approximate. Payments of $200 or less to one payee need not be itemized, detail filed only as memo entries counts under other or unclassified, and spending by the candidate's other committees or by outside groups is not included. A payment is not evidence of a favor or wrongdoing.
Others who filed for this seat.
- Joshua TurekDemocrat · $23M raised · $10M outside
- Ashley Hinson ArenholzRepublican · $10M raised · $15M outside
- Joni K ErnstRepublican · $1.6M raised · $15K outside
- Nathan SageDemocrat · $1.4M raised
- Jackie NorrisDemocrat · $364K raised
- James ScholtenDemocrat · $213K raised
- Thomas Raymond LaehnLibertarian · $61K raised
- Zach P WahlsDemocrat · $233K outside
Questions worth asking.
Money shows who backed a campaign, not how a person will act. Compare it with what they did and said: their votes or official actions if they have held office, their own statements, and their answers to a finding. Use the same questions for every candidate.
FEC bulk data read November 4, 2026. Campaign totals come from each filing's own FEC summary through its latest processed report. Outside spending is independent expenditures itemized in committee reports in the FEC bulk files, primaries included; late 24- and 48-hour reports, party coordinated spending, communication costs and groups that do not report to the FEC are not included. Outside spending is, by law, made without coordinating with the candidate, and it is not the candidate's money. A contribution or expenditure is not evidence of a vote, favor or wrongdoing. This page identifies the filing by its FEC candidate ID; a person can hold more than one filing.