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Campaign for Primary Accountability

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Campaign for Primary Accountability
Campaign for Primary Accountability logo.PNG
Basic facts
Location:Houston, Texas
Type:Super PAC
Founder(s):Leo Linbeck III andEric O'Keefe
Year founded:2011
Website:Official website

TheCampaign for Primary Accountability is asuper PAC formed in September 2011 with the aim of providing voters with more information regarding candidates in primary elections.[1] The organization believes that voters "must challenge long-term incumbents and hold them accountable for their deeds."[2]

The group made independent expenditures in 12U.S. House primaries, all during the 2012 campaign cycle. It targeted seven Republican-held seats and five Democratic-held seats. Four incumbents the group opposed in those races lost their seats. All four were among the eight races—six in Republican-held seats and two in Democratic-held seats—where the group spent against an incumbent without spending in support of any one challenger.

The group was unsuccessful in three other primaries. Two were Democratic primaries where Campaign for Primary Accountability spent both to oppose the incumbent and to back a specific challenger. The third was a Republican primary where the incumbent did not seek re-election. In the twelfth primary, CPA spent money both to support and to oppose incumbentCharles Rangel (D), who won re-election. All 12 winners of CPA-involved primaries went on to win in the November 2012 general elections.

Campaign for Primary Accountability did not support or oppose any candidates in the2014,2016, or2018 elections.

Mission

As of March 2019, the Campaign for Primary Accountability's website listed the following mission statement:[3]

“CPA’s mission is to foster greater participation in primary elections as a way to “Break the Cycle of Incumbency” in Congress. Our goal is to bring true competition to our electoral process, to give voters real information about their choices, and to restore fair, not fixed, elections. The Campaign for Primary Accountability encourages challengers so more voters will have a real choice in multi-candidate primary elections.


More than 80% of congressional districts are controlled by one of the two political parties. Most general elections aren’t even close. The incumbent wins in a landslide, with an average margin of victory of 26%. Most long-term incumbents–the ones who control Congress–come from one-party districts. The general elections in which they cruise to victory election after election are really fake fights, like the ones in pro wrestling. The primary is where the real decision about who goes to Washington is made.

We want a Congress that answers to the people on Main Street rather than the lobbyists on K Street. In order to change Congress, more people need to get involved in primaries.[4]

”

Background

In 2012, Campaign for Primary Accountability spokesman Curtis Ellis explained the organization's approach, saying, "CPA does not fit the traditional Democrat versus Republican, liberal versus conservative paradigm. It is a trans-partisan organization that encourages greater participation in primaries by voters in both parties in order to break the partisan gridlock that has paralyzed Washington."[5]

The official website of the CPA pointed to polls and election results from November 2010 as the impetus for its campaign. According to the CPA, more than 80 percent of all districts are controlled by one major party, informing their belief that the primary election is the only place to defeat an incumbent.[6]

Eric O'Keefe andLeo Linbeck III founded the organization.[5] In a 2012 opinion piece forThe Washington Post, Linbeck spoke of the group's perspective, saying, "We’re trying to make the electoral system competitive, so that Congress will become more accountable to the voters. It’s not about policy, it’s about governance. We’re not interested in shifting power between Republicans and Democrats. We’re interested in shifting power between Congress and the people."[7]

Work

The Campaign for Primary Accountability made expenditures in 12U.S. House races in 2012, including seven Republican-held seats and five Democratic-held seats. Four of the incumbents it opposed lost their primaries: DemocratsTim Holden andSilvestre Reyes and RepublicansDon Manzullo andJean Schmidt. It did not make independent expenditures in the 2014, 2016, and 2018 campaign cycles.

2018

According to theCenter for Responsive Politics, the CPA did not make any independent expenditures during the 2016 election cycle.[8]

2016

According to theCenter for Responsive Politics, the CPA did not make any independent expenditures during the 2016 election cycle.[9]

2014

In July 2013, Campaign for Primary Accountability had targeted two incumbents in the 2014 election cycle, according to the group's website. The candidates wereSpencer Bachus (R-Ala.) andCharlie Rangel (D-N.Y.).[10] According to theCenter for Responsive Politics, the group did not make any independent expenditures during the 2014 cycle.[11]

2012

Tea Party Patriots co-founder Mark Meckler discusses the Campaign For Primary Accountability on MSNBC

During the 2012 election cycle, Campaign for Primary Accountability targeted 12 incumbents, including seven Republicans and five Democrats. The organization used four factors when deciding whether to become involved in a district.[12]

  1. Is the district controlled by one party (in other words, the group was not active in swing districts)?
  2. Is there a capable challenger?
  3. Has the incumbent served at least two terms (in other words, no freshmen)?
  4. Does private polling show a challenger could win?


In an interview withMSNBC, Mark Meckler, co-founder of the Tea Party Patriots, said the Campaign for Primary Accountability's goal was to defeat 100 incumbents—50 Democrats and 50 Republicans—in primary elections that year.[13]

Independent expenditures

The organization made independent expenditures in the following races during the 2012 election cycle.[14]

IncumbentChallengersDistrictCPA Spending Goal[15]Winner
Republican PartySpencer BachusRepublican PartyScott Beason
Republican PartyAl Mickle
Republican PartyDavid Standridge		AL-06OpposeBachusDefeatedd
Republican PartyJo BonnerRepublican PartyPeter Gounares
Republican PartyPete Riehm
Republican PartyDean Young		AL-01OpposeBonnerDefeatedd
Republican PartyDan Burton
(did not seek re-election)		Republican PartyJason Anderson
Republican PartySusan Brooks
Republican PartyJack Lugar
Republican PartyJohn McGoff
Republican PartyDavid McIntosh
Republican PartyMatthew Mount
Republican PartyBill Salin
Republican PartyWayne Seybold		IN-05Opposed Brooks
Supported McIntosh		BrooksDefeatedd
Republican PartyRalph HallRepublican PartySteve Clark
Republican PartyLou Gigliotti		TX-04OpposeHallDefeatedd
Democratic PartyJesse L. Jackson, Jr.Democratic PartyDebbie HalvorsonIL-02Oppose[16]JacksonDefeatedd
Democratic PartyTim HoldenDemocratic PartyMatt CartwrightPA-17OpposeCartwrightGreen check mark transparent.png
Democratic PartyMarcy KapturDemocratic PartyDennis Kucinich[17]
Democratic PartyGraham Veysey		OH-09Oppose[18]KapturDefeatedd
Republican PartyDon ManzulloRepublican PartyAdam Kinzinger[19]IL-16OpposeKinzingerGreen check mark transparent.png
Republican PartyTim MurphyRepublican PartyEvan FeinbergPA-18OpposeMurphyDefeatedd
Democratic PartyCharles Rangel[20]Democratic PartyAdriano Espaillat
Democratic PartyJoyce Johnson
Democratic PartyCraig Schley
Democratic PartyClyde Williams		NY-13Support/Oppose[21]Rangel --
Democratic PartySilvestre ReyesDemocratic PartyPaul Johnson, Jr.
Democratic PartyBen Mendoza
Democratic PartyBeto O'Rourke
Democratic PartyJerome Tilghman		TX-16OpposeO'RourkeGreen check mark transparent.png
Republican PartyJean SchmidtRepublican PartyTony Brush
Republican PartyJoe Green
Republican PartyFred Kundrata
Republican PartyBrad Wenstrup		OH-02OpposeWenstrupGreen check mark transparent.png


Expenditures

In the 2012 elections the Campaign for Primary Accountability spent $1,816,476: $203,390 for Democrats, $522,176 against Democrats, $121,001 for Republicans, and $969,909 against Republicans.[11]

Top 10 largestCampaign for Primary Accountability expenditures in 2012[11]
CandidatePartyStateOfficeTotalForAgainstDesired Result
Silvestre ReyesDemocratic PartyTXHouse$240,000$0$240,000
Yes.png
Don ManzulloRepublican PartyILHouse$224,529$0$224,529
Yes.png
Spencer BachusRepublican PartyALHouse$203,106$0$203,106
No.png
Ralph HallRepublican PartyTXHouse$203,106$0$203,106
No.png
Jean SchmidtRepublican PartyOHHouse$132,022$0$132,022
Yes.png
Dennis KucinichDemocratic PartyOHHouse$131,880$131,880$0
No.png
Tim HoldenDemocratic PartyPAHouse$130,875$0$130,875
Yes.png
Jo BonnerRepublican PartyALHouse$123,676$0$123,676
No.png
Marcy KapturDemocratic PartyOHHouse$121,294$0$121,294
No.png
David McIntoshRepublican PartyINHouse$121,001$121,001$0
No.png

Finances

The following table identifies total receipts and disbursements for the Campaign for Primary Accountability, according to documents filed with theFederal Election Commission:

Annual federal receipts and disbursements for the Campaign for Primary Accountability, 2011-2018
Tax yearTotal receiptsTotal disbursements
2018[22]$0$0
2017[23]$0$0
2016[24]$0$0
2015[25]$0$0
2014[26]$5,539$7,320
2013[27]$36,166$54,045
2012[28]$1,817,889$3,096,789
2011[29]$1,796,752$123,565

Legal status

The Campaign for Primary Accountability is asuper PAC. A super PAC is a political committee that can solicit and spend unlimited sums of money. A super PAC cannot contribute directly to a politician or political party, but it can spend independently to campaign for or against political figures. These committees are also called independent expenditure-only committees. A super PAC is not legally considered apolitical action committee (PAC) and as such is regulated under separate rules.[30][31]

Media

"Silvestre Reyes In Congress Too Long" - Campaign for Primary Accountability ad, released May 14, 2012
"Retire Ralph Hall in the Republican Primary on May 29th - Timeline" - Campaign for Primary Accountability ad, released May 13, 2012
"Who Does Congressman Tim Holden Look out for?" - Campaign for Primary Accountability ad, released April 4, 2012
"Tim Murphy PA18 - 'Rock the Boat' in the April 24th Pennsylvania Republican Primary" - Campaign for Primary Accountability ad, released April 2, 2012
"Don Manzullo the 'Washington Weathervane' - Vote in the March 20th Republican Primary," - Campaign for Primary Accountability ad, released March 17, 2012
"'Rock the Boat' - Send Judy Biggert Packing in the Illinois Republican Primary," - Campaign for Primary Accountability ad, released March 13, 2012
"'Rock the Boat' - End Don Manzullo's Cruise - IL16 Republican Primary" - Campaign for Primary Accountabiltiy ad, released March 12, 2012
"'Rock the Boat' - End Spencer Bachus' Cruise in the March 13th Republican Primary" - Campaign for Primary Accountabiliy ad, released March 8, 2012
"Spencer Bachus - Send bachus packing on March 13th" - Campaign for Primary Accountability ad, released March 6, 2012
"Rock the Boat - Retire Jean Schmidt on March 6th - Republican Primary" - Campaign for Primary Accountability ad, released February 28, 2012

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for "Campaign + for + Primary + Accountability"

All stories may not be relevant to this organization due to the nature of the search engine.

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑Cite error: Invalid<ref> tag; no text was provided for refs namedabout
  2. ↑Campaign for Primary Accountability, "Facebook Page," accessed February 2, 2012
  3. ↑Campaign for Primary Accountability, "FAQ," accessed March 15, 2019
  4. ↑Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  5. ↑5.05.1Cincinnati Enquirer, "Super-PAC targets 'out of step' Schmidt," January 29, 2012
  6. ↑Campaign for Primary Accountability, "The Issue," archived November 24, 2016
  7. ↑Washington Post, "One super PAC takes aim at incumbents of any party," March 7, 2012
  8. ↑Center for Responsive Politics, "Campaign for Primary Accountability Independent Expenditures, Communication Costs, and Coordinated Expenses, 2018," accessed March 15, 2019
  9. ↑Center for Responsive Politics, "Campaign for Primary Accountability Independent Expenditures, Communication Costs and Coordinated Expenses, 2016," accessed July 5, 2017
  10. ↑Campaign for Primary Accountability, "Highlighted Races," accessed July 17, 2013
  11. ↑11.011.111.2Center for Responsive Politics, "2014 PAC Summary Data," accessed July 25, 2016Cite error: Invalid<ref> tag; name "os" defined multiple times with different content
  12. ↑Mother Jones, "This Texas "Anarchist" GOPer Is Taking Out Incumbents," March 8, 2012
  13. ↑MSNBC "Deylan Ratigan Show," accessed July 25, 2016
  14. ↑Center for Responsive Politics, "Campaign for Primary Accountability, Independent Expenditures, Communication Costs and Coordinated Expenses, 2011-2012," accessed March 15, 2019
  15. ↑Was CPA's spending in the race reported to the FEC as intended to support the incumbent or oppose them?
  16. ↑CPA reported spending $22,808 to oppose Jackson and $66,510 to support Halvorson.
  17. ↑At the time of the election, Kucinich had been a member of Congress since 1997. He and Kaptur ran against one another after redistricting following the 2010 census moved him into the Ninth District.
  18. ↑CPA reported spending $121,294 to oppose Kaptur and $131,880 to support Kucinich.
  19. ↑At the time of the election, Kinzinger had been a member of Congress since 2011. He and Manzullo ran against one another after redistricting following the 2010 census moved him into the Sixteenth District.
  20. ↑At the time of the election, Rangel had served in Congress since 1971, most recently in the Fifteenth District. Redistricting following the 2010 census moved Rangel into the Thirteenth District and former Thirteenth District Rep. Michael Grimm (R) into the Eleventh District.
  21. ↑CPA reported spending $5,000 to support Rangel and $7,199 to oppose him.
  22. ↑Federal Election Commission, "Campaign for Primary Accountability Year-End Report, 2018," February 1, 2019
  23. ↑Federal Election Commission, "Campaign for Primary Accountability Year-End Report, 2017," January 20, 2018
  24. ↑Federal Election Commission, "Campaign for Primary Accountability Year-End Report, 2016," January 31, 2017
  25. ↑Federal Election Commission, "Campaign for Primary Accountability Year-End Report, 2015," January 31, 2016
  26. ↑Federal Election Commission, "Campaign for Primary Accountability Year-End Report, 2014," January 30, 2015
  27. ↑Federal Election Commission, "Campaign for Primary Accountability Year-End Report, 2013," January 31, 2014
  28. ↑Federal Election Commission, "Campaign for Primary Accountability Year-End Report, 2012," January 31, 2013
  29. ↑Federal Election Commission, "Campaign for Primary Accountability Year-End Report, 2011," February 14, 2012
  30. ↑The Atlantic, "The New York Times' Disingenuous Campaign Against Citizens United," February 24, 2012
  31. ↑The New York Times, "Who's Financing the 'Super PACs?" May 7, 2012
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