Dataset

Every figure on this site, as CSV. Nominal U.S. dollars; columns are defined beside each table.

01_outside_spending_by_cycle.csv

cycle	total_ie_musd	super_pac_ie_musd	hybrid_pac_ie_musd	electioneering_musd	status	note	source
2012	1250.5	606.8	12.9	15.1	final	First full presidential cycle after Citizens United; FEC …	FEC 2011-2012 statistical summary
2014	787.8	339.4	2.6	7.3	final	Midterm (congressional)	FEC 2013-2014 24-month statistical summary
2016	1631.0	1100.0	46.7	56.1	final		FEC 2015-2016 24-month statistical summary
2018	1301.0	820.5	72.9	15.3	final	Midterm	FEC 2017-2018 24-month statistical summary
2020	3143.7	2000.0	552.2	32.8	final		FEC 2019-2020 24-month statistical summary
2022	2255.0	1300.0	555.0	4.8	final	Midterm	FEC 2021-2022 24-month statistical summary
2024	4426.5	2723.8	1372.3	11.3	final		FEC 2023-2024 24-month statistical summary
2026	643.4	529.6	97.3	0.5	partial	Midterm — cycle in progress: FEC 18-month interim summary…	FEC 2025-2026 18-month statistical summary

01_outside_spending_by_cycle.csv

Reported independent-expenditure totals from FEC end-of-cycle statistical summaries.

Field	Type	Meaning
`cycle`	integer	Election year (e.g. 2024 = the 2023–2024 cycle)
`total_ie_musd`	number	Total independent expenditures reported to the FEC, all filers ($M)
`super_pac_ie_musd`	number	IEs from Independent-Expenditure-Only Committees (super PACs) ($M)
`hybrid_pac_ie_musd`	number	IEs from Committees with Non-Contribution Accounts (hybrid PACs) ($M)
`electioneering_musd`	number	Electioneering communications reported ($M)
`status`	string	`final` (end-of-cycle 24-month summary) or `partial` (cycle in progress, interim summary)
`note`	string	Caveats (e.g. midterm = congressional only)
`source`	string	Originating FEC statistical summary

Caveats. 2014's total is congressional only (a midterm, no presidential race). The FEC's 2011-2012 summary did break out super PAC ($606.8M) and hybrid/non-contribution ($12.9M) IEs, so 2012 is populated. total_ie_musd is the all-filer total; super PAC + hybrid do not sum to it because party committees, other PACs, and individuals also make independent expenditures. 2024 super PAC/hybrid are exact from the FEC's IE1 24-month table ($2,723.8M / $1,372.3M); some earlier cycles carry the FEC's rounded press-release figures, so columns may not foot exactly to the precise total.

Partial rows (status = partial). The 2026 row is the FEC 18-month interim summary (2025-01-01 through 2026-06-30) — official, but before the election-season surge (a BMRL tally of FEC 24/48-hour reports put cycle IE at ~$2.8B by 2026-10-17; see 99_sources.md). Not comparable to final rows; the site excludes partial rows from charts and headline stats. Replace with the 24-month summary (expected spring 2027) and flip status to final.