2026 candidate · follow the money
Who funds Michelle Steel?
The money.
- Raised
- $1.2M
- Spent
- $2.2M
- Cash on hand
- $0
- Individuals 7% $93K
- PACs & other committees 0.2% $2,500
- Candidate's own money & loans 91% $1.1M
- Other receipts 1% $18K
Campaign totals through Oct 9, 2025. Excludes $7,934 moved between the candidate's own committees.
Outside groups: $0 supporting · $6,199 opposing
Biggest spenders opposing
- HEALTH CARE SAVES LIVES $6,199
Largest direct PAC contributions
Who gave.
Who gives $93K from individuals
44% in small-dollar gifts
$41K of $93K 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 55%. 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 $47K of the $53K the campaign reported itemizing through Oct 9, 2025. The FEC has not yet processed the rest into its bulk file, which runs to Aug 2, 2025 for this campaign.
26% from California · 74% from elsewhere
Of itemized gifts, by the state on each donor's mailing address. Giving from other states is lawful and common.
39% of itemized dollars came earmarked through a conduit such as ActBlue or WinRed; each gift is counted once.
Top states
- California $12K
- Texas $9,705
- Florida $4,336
- New York $2,904
- Georgia $2,545
- Michigan $1,953
- Alabama $1,407
- Connecticut $865
Retired, self-employed, not employed or not given: $34K. Employers named by fewer than three donors, or filed as a person's name: $13K, not listed so no one donor is singled out.
Summary through Oct 9, 2025. Itemized gifts dated Jan 2, 2025 to Aug 2, 2025, net of refunds (1,272 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 / $34K against · $0 in the final two weeks
That is $27K more than the $6,199 in regular reports alone. Source: FEC regular reports plus 24- and 48-hour reports they do not yet cover. The final two weeks run Oct 21, 2026 to Nov 3, 2026, by the date each ad or mailing went out.
$27K of the $27K on late reports was filed as an estimate. A 24- or 48-hour report is due within a day or two of the spending; the spender's later regular report carries the final cost.
What it bought, per the late reports
- Ad production 100% $27K
Largest late spenders against
- LCV VICTORY FUND $27K
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 $56K in itemized spending
These itemized payments cover $56K of the $2.2M the campaign reported spending through Oct 9, 2025. The FEC has not yet itemized the rest in its bulk file, which runs to Oct 9, 2025.
- Consultants & strategy 4% $2,500
- Staff & payroll 3% $1,500
- Fundraising & processing fees 12% $6,671
- Office, technology & overhead 2% $897
- Legal & compliance 34% $19K
- Other or unclassified 45% $25K
Largest payees
- CAMPAIGN COMPLIANCE GROUP $24K
- DLG - DHILLON LAW GROUP, INC $15K
- WINRED $6,671
- BYRNE & NIXON LLP $4,496
- PRAETORIAN PUBLIC RELATIONS $2,500
Paid to individuals: $1,529, such as staff, contractors and reimbursements. People who were paid are not named here.
Payments dated Jan 2, 2025 to Oct 9, 2025, as itemized by the principal campaign committee in FEC reports (69 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.
- Derek TranDemocrat · $5.5M raised · $11K outside
- Chuong VoRepublican · $937K raised
- Thomas Ky-Phong VoRepublican · $757K raised
- Chi Charlie NguyenRepublican · $485K raised
- Amy Phan WestRepublican · $60K raised
- Mark Andrew LeonardRepublican · $26K raised
- Brian FordeDemocrat · $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.