2026 candidate · follow the money
Who funds Lauren B. Pena?
The money.
- Raised
- $132K
- Spent
- $128K
- Cash on hand
- $4,454
- Individuals 96% $127K
- Party committees 4% $5,000
Campaign totals through Oct 14, 2026.
No independent expenditures for or against this filing are itemized in the bulk file.
Largest direct PAC contributions
Who gave.
Who gives $127K from individuals
82% in small-dollar gifts
$104K of $127K came unitemized: from donors whose gifts to the campaign this cycle total $200 or less, whom the campaign does not have to name.
Adding itemized gifts from donors whose itemized total is $200 or less, about 84%. Many small gifts sent through ActBlue or WinRed are itemized anyway, so the first figure runs low; this estimate groups donors by name and ZIP code as filed and counts only itemized gifts already in the FEC bulk file.
58% from Texas · 42% from elsewhere
Of itemized gifts, by the state on each donor's mailing address. Giving from other states is lawful and common.
Top states
- Texas $13K
- Virginia $3,054
- New Jersey $1,101
- Tennessee $992
- Florida $605
- California $572
- Idaho $521
- Minnesota $400
Retired, self-employed, not employed or not given: $16K. Employers named by fewer than three donors, or filed as a person's name: $6,018, not listed so no one donor is singled out.
Summary through Oct 14, 2026. Itemized gifts dated May 25, 2025 to Sep 26, 2026, net of refunds (233 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 Lauren B. Pena.
Where it went.
Where the money went $126K in itemized spending
- Advertising & outreach 4% $4,752
- Consultants & strategy 15% $19K
- Fundraising & processing fees 72% $91K
- Travel, meals & events 3% $4,134
- Office, technology & overhead 2% $2,500
- Legal & compliance 3% $3,125
- Other or unclassified 1% $1,500
Largest payees
- FRONTLINE STRATEGIES, LLC. $83K
- I77 STRATEGIES, LLC. $26K
- WINRED $4,503
- TEXAS SECRETARY OF STATE $3,125
- PENNY STRATEGY GROUP $3,000
Paid to individuals: $2,524, such as staff, contractors and reimbursements. People who were paid are not named here.
Payments dated May 25, 2025 to Sep 26, 2026, as itemized by the principal campaign committee in FEC reports (512 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.
- Greg CasarDemocrat · $1.3M raised · $37 outside
- Lloyd DoggettDemocrat · $471K raised
- Ge'Nell GaryRepublican · $11K raised
- Janet MalzahnRepublican · $5,332 raised
- James KinneyNo party · $0 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.