2026 outside spending · who is behind it
Who is behind THE BENCH?
In FEC filings processed so far, THE BENCH reported $246K in independent expenditures in 2026 House and Senate races: $246K supporting and $0 opposing candidates, across 1 candidate. The filer designated 0% of it for the general election.
Who it spent for and against.
Independent expenditures are, by law, made without coordinating with the candidate. Spending for a candidate is the group's own advertising or outreach, not a contribution to the campaign.
Supporting · $246K
- Nancy Lacore Democrat · South Carolina U.S. House District 1$246K
Opposing · $0
No spending opposing a candidate among the candidates listed here.
Who funds it.
Listed: organizations and committees that gave this group at least $10K this cycle, and individuals who gave it at least $250K (counting contributions of $5,000 or more), named and employed as filed with the FEC. Smaller donors are not named here and no address is shown.
These funders account for $6.4M of the $7.4M in itemized receipts this group reported for the cycle (87%). Receipts include transfers from other committees and can include refunds or loans.
Committees
- MAJORITY FUND ↗ Joint fundraising committee · FEC C00904607$110K
Organizations
- BETTER WORLD CIVIC TRUST Organization, as filed$500K
Individuals giving at least $250K
- Stephen Mandel Employer as filed: SELF EMPLOYED$3.9M
- Mark W Heising Employer as filed: MEDLEY PARTNERS LLC$1.0M
- Reed Hastings Employer as filed: NETFLIX$395K
- Mark W Heising Employer as filed: SELF EMPLOYED$255K
- Michael Novogratz Employer as filed: GALAXY DIGITAL$250K
Gives to other outside groups.
Outside groups that reported THE BENCH among their funders this cycle.
- BDA PAC $6.4M in outside spending$1.0M
What this does not show.
A gift to an outside group is not a gift to any candidate, and nothing here shows that a funder chose, saw or approved a particular ad. When a funder is a nonprofit, a company or another group, the FEC record names that donor and stops: the people and companies who fund it are not shown unless it reports them to the FEC. Groups that do not file with the FEC, state-level groups and late 24- and 48-hour reports are not included.
FEC bulk data read November 4, 2026. Outside spending is independent expenditures for or against named 2026 House and Senate candidates, itemized by committees in the FEC bulk files, primaries included, with the general-election share as each filer designated it. Funders are itemized receipts in the FEC bulk files for the cycle. Late 24- and 48-hour reports, party coordinated spending, communication costs, independent expenditures reported by groups that are not political committees, state-level groups and groups that do not report to the FEC are not included. Outside spending is, by law, made without coordinating with the candidate. A contribution or expenditure is not evidence of a vote, favor, agreement or wrongdoing.