The Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down limits on coordinated spending between candidates and political parties, which likely serves as a boon for Republicans as the GOP seeks to retain its majorities in Congress.
The Supreme Court’s ruling in National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Election Commission removes limits on coordinating spending and gives candidates more direct control over a larger amount of the money being spent on their respective races. This ruling serves as a loss for Democrats, who have argued that eliminating the limit on spending would give more power to large donors.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote for the majority opinion that the limits are a “severe infringement on First Amendment-protected political speech.”
“To uphold the political-party coordinated-expenditure limits here could therefore help consign political parties to continued second-tier status as compared to outside groups,” Kavanaugh added. “Weakened political parties distort the political system.”
National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Tim Scott (R-SC) and National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Richard Hudson (R-NC) said in a joint statement:
This is a decisive First Amendment victory and a major win for the integrity of our political system. The Supreme Court made clear that the federal government has no authority to place arbitrary limits on how political parties support the candidates they nominate. By striking down these unconstitutional caps on coordinated spending, the Court has restored core political speech and ensured parties can compete on a level playing field. We are ready to fully support our candidates and put them in the strongest possible position to win in 2026 and beyond.
Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) wrote, “A massive win for the First Amendment that gives power back to political parties over dark money Super PACs. Voters deserve to hear directly from candidates, not shady, nameless outside groups.”