2026 candidate · follow the money
Who funds Michaela Barnett?
The money.
- Raised
- $718K
- Spent
- $588K
- Cash on hand
- $130K
- Debts
- $6,000
- Individuals 98% $702K
- PACs & other committees 0.4% $2,600
- Party committees 0.2% $1,200
- Candidate's own money & loans 0.9% $6,415
- Other receipts 0.8% $5,399
Campaign totals through Oct 14, 2026.
Outside groups: $10 supporting · $0 opposing
Biggest spenders supporting
Who gave.
Who gives $702K from individuals
35% in small-dollar gifts
$245K of $702K 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 36%. 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 $224K of the $457K the campaign reported itemizing through Oct 14, 2026. The FEC has not yet processed the rest into its bulk file, which runs to Jul 17, 2026 for this campaign.
93% from Tennessee · 7% from elsewhere
Of itemized gifts, by the state on each donor's mailing address. Giving from other states is lawful and common.
74% of itemized dollars came earmarked through a conduit such as ActBlue or WinRed; each gift is counted once.
Top states
- Tennessee $209K
- District of Columbia $3,500
- Kansas $2,000
- Virginia $1,760
- Oregon $1,650
- New York $1,237
- South Carolina $750
- Georgia $527
Top employers named by donors
- ORNL $4,629
- UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE $2,349
- UT-BATTELLE $900
Employers as donors wrote them on the form. A company listed here did not give this money; people who work there did.
Retired, self-employed, not employed or not given: $131K. Employers named by fewer than three donors, or filed as a person's name: $85K, not listed so no one donor is singled out.
Summary through Oct 14, 2026. Itemized gifts dated Sep 10, 2025 to Jul 17, 2026, net of refunds (886 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 Michaela Barnett. The outside spending shown from regular reports is the latest available.
Where it went.
Where the money went $333K in itemized spending
These itemized payments cover $333K of the $588K the campaign reported spending through Oct 14, 2026. The FEC has not yet itemized the rest in its bulk file, which runs to Jul 17, 2026.
- Advertising & outreach 12% $40K
- Consultants & strategy 8% $25K
- Staff & payroll 52% $174K
- Fundraising & processing fees 9% $30K
- Polling, research & data 0.4% $1,375
- Travel, meals & events 2% $6,172
- Office, technology & overhead 5% $18K
- Legal & compliance 11% $38K
- Other or unclassified 0.2% $829
Largest payees
- GUSTO INC $175K
- GRAY VENTURES LLC $23K
- PRINTING IMAGE $16K
- NGP VAN $14K
- A/B STUDIOS $13K
Paid to individuals: $14K, such as staff, contractors and reimbursements. People who were paid are not named here.
Payments dated Sep 10, 2025 to Jul 17, 2026, as itemized by the principal campaign committee in FEC reports (329 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.
- Tim BurchettRepublican · $3.1M raised
- Adam Jay VelkDemocrat · $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.