2026 candidate · follow the money
Who funds Karen Matthews?
The money.
- Raised
- $175K
- Spent
- $175K
- Cash on hand
- $0
- Individuals 84% $147K
- PACs & other committees 3% $5,050
- Candidate's own money & loans 13% $23K
Campaign totals through Jun 22, 2026.
Outside groups: $460K supporting · $0 opposing
Biggest spenders supporting
Largest direct PAC contributions
Who gave.
Who gives $147K from individuals
21% in small-dollar gifts
$31K of $147K came unitemized: from donors whose gifts to the campaign this cycle total $200 or less, whom the campaign does not have to name.
The itemized gifts below add up to $100K of the $116K the campaign reported itemizing through Jun 22, 2026. The FEC has not yet processed the rest into its bulk file, which runs to Jun 10, 2026 for this campaign.
33% from California · 67% from elsewhere
Of itemized gifts, by the state on each donor's mailing address. Giving from other states is lawful and common.
100% of itemized dollars came earmarked through a conduit such as ActBlue or WinRed; each gift is counted once.
Top states
- California $33K
- District of Columbia $14K
- Massachusetts $8,750
- Maryland $7,400
- Virginia $5,900
- New York $5,555
- Ohio $5,200
- Colorado $3,600
Retired, self-employed, not employed or not given: $45K. Employers named by fewer than three donors, or filed as a person's name: $55K, not listed so no one donor is singled out.
Summary through Jun 22, 2026. Itemized gifts dated Sep 29, 2025 to Jun 10, 2026, net of refunds (262 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.
Outside spending including late reports: $460K for / $0 against · $0 in the final two weeks
Source: FEC regular reports. The final two weeks run Oct 21, 2026 to Nov 3, 2026, by the date each ad or mailing went out.
What it bought, per the late reports
- Digital ads 70% $323K
- Mail, print & signs 28% $130K
- Ad production 1% $6,584
Largest late spenders for
Latest dissemination on these reports: May 28, 2026. FEC 24- and 48-hour independent-expenditure reports read November 4, 2026, with amended and re-filed reports counted once (7 entries). These reports on FEC.gov ↗
Outside spending is, by law, made without coordinating with the candidate and is not the candidate's money. Purposes are grouped from each spender's own description, so the groups are approximate. A dollar figure is not evidence of a vote, favor or wrongdoing.
Where it went.
Where the money went $160K in itemized spending
- Advertising & outreach 2% $2,514
- Consultants & strategy 10% $16K
- Staff & payroll 15% $23K
- Fundraising & processing fees 32% $51K
- Office, technology & overhead 22% $36K
- Legal & compliance 20% $31K
Largest payees
- GOODMAN CAMPAIGNS $26K
- GUSTO $23K
- NGP $22K
- THE MONEY WHEEL $20K
- BERGER HIRSCHBERG STRATEGIES $16K
Paid to individuals: $315, such as staff, contractors and reimbursements. People who were paid are not named here.
Payments dated Oct 20, 2025 to Jun 3, 2026, as itemized by the principal campaign committee in FEC reports (187 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.
- Jay ObernolteRepublican · $1.8M raised · $278K outside
- Tessa Lynn HodgeDemocrat · $127K raised · $849 outside
- Paul ChakalianDemocrat · $73K raised
- Charles Patrick WallisDemocrat · $64K raised
- Alexis L ClaiborneDemocrat · $12K raised
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.