2026 candidate · follow the money
Who funds Melissa A McDonough?
The money.
- Raised
- $125K
- Spent
- $103K
- Cash on hand
- $44K
- Debts
- $133K
- Individuals 60% $75K
- PACs & other committees 0.4% $500
- Party committees 0.8% $1,000
- Candidate's own money & loans 39% $48K
Campaign totals through Oct 14, 2026.
No independent expenditures for or against this filing are itemized in the bulk file.
Largest direct PAC contributions
- LEE PAC $500
Who gave.
Who gives $75K from individuals
27% in small-dollar gifts
$21K of $75K 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 29%. 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.
The itemized gifts below add up to $25K of the $55K the campaign reported itemizing through Oct 14, 2026. The FEC has not yet processed the rest into its bulk file, which runs to Jun 30, 2026 for this campaign.
95% from Texas · 5% 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 $23K
- District of Columbia $1,000
- California $238
Retired, self-employed, not employed or not given: $15K. Employers named by fewer than three donors, or filed as a person's name: $9,647, not listed so no one donor is singled out.
Summary through Oct 14, 2026. Itemized gifts dated May 5, 2025 to Jun 30, 2026, net of refunds (78 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: $0 for / $2,906 against · $2,906 in the final two weeks
Source: FEC 24- and 48-hour 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 100% $2,906
Largest late spenders against
Latest dissemination on these reports: October 27, 2026. FEC 24- and 48-hour independent-expenditure reports read November 4, 2026, with amended and re-filed reports counted once (1 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 $35K in itemized spending
These itemized payments cover $35K of the $103K the campaign reported spending through Oct 14, 2026. The FEC has not yet itemized the rest in its bulk file, which runs to Jun 30, 2026.
- Advertising & outreach 59% $21K
- Consultants & strategy 0.9% $300
- Fundraising & processing fees <0.1% $7
- Polling, research & data 6% $2,200
- Travel, meals & events 22% $7,682
- Office, technology & overhead 7% $2,464
- Contributions, transfers & refunds 1% $485
- Other or unclassified 4% $1,400
Largest payees
- J&N ENTERPRISES $5,168
- AMAZON $4,201
- SCALE TO WIN $3,192
- KESSLER GRAPHICS $3,071
- TEXAS DEMOCRATIC PARTY $2,200
Paid to individuals: $888, such as staff, contractors and reimbursements. People who were paid are not named here.
Payments dated Feb 5, 2025 to Jun 30, 2026, as itemized by the principal campaign committee in FEC reports (152 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.
- Jon BonckRepublican · $2.0M raised · $692K outside
- Wesley HuntRepublican · $1.7M raised
- Shelly DezevallosRepublican · $1.1M raised · $225K outside
- Larry David RubinRepublican · $524K raised
- Michael PrattRepublican · $375K raised
- Carmen MontielRepublican · $147K raised
- Marvalette HunterDemocrat · $137K raised
- Jeffrey Michael YunaRepublican · $52K raised
- William Miskey Taggart IVIndependent · $9,995 raised
- William M Taggart IVIndependent · $9,995 raised
- Alex McMenemyGreen · $9,888 raised
- Craig GoralskiRepublican · $6,462 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.