money in – A new poll finds broad bipartisan concern that too much money drives U.S. politics, with voters feeling they have too little power.
[IMAGE_BLOCK]PGltZyBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vc3RhdGljLnBvbGl0aWNvLmNvbS82ZC83ZC9lMDk0Yjk3NjQ3ZGM4YzQ5YmY1NTMyMGVlNGZlL21vbmV5LWluLXBvbGl0aWNzLnBuZyIgLz4=[/IMAGE_BLOCK] Americans across party lines are signaling the same alarm bell: too much money is steering U.S.. elections, and voters feel they’re losing ground as outside influence grows.. The POLITICO Poll. conducted in partnership with Public First. found 72 percent of Americans say there is too much money in politics. while only 5 percent disagree—an unusually strong level of agreement that underscores how central campaign spending has become to how the public judges the system..
The survey also paints a picture of distrust that extends beyond raw spending totals.. Majorities of respondents said billionaires wield outsized influence over U.S.. politics. and many characterized special interest spending as a form of corruption that should face tighter limits rather than be treated as protected expression.. Nearly half of those surveyed said voters have too little power. a finding that helps explain why the public’s concern isn’t only about fairness in elections. but
about the democratic system’s health.. The poll results arrive as spending is projected to surge again during the current midterm cycle.. The report notes that outside money shows no sign of slowing. with new political groups tied to emerging industries—such as artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency—moving quickly into competitive primaries.. These groups are pouring millions into races, with the goal of influencing which candidates ultimately reach Washington.. Looking at the broader campaign landscape, the report points
to a pattern of escalating costs.. Each of the last three midterm elections set new spending records. and an ad tracking firm. AdImpact. projects advertising spending will once again reach new highs—estimated at $10.8 billion.. For voters watching the political process. the steady climb may reinforce the sense that money is not an accessory to politics. but a driver.. Advocates focused on campaign finance regulation say this magnitude of spending corrodes public trust.. Michael Beckel.
Money in Politics Reform Director at Issue One. argued that “astronomical” spending undermines people’s faith in government and that lawmakers should rein in an amount he described as outrageous.. His remarks capture a central theme running through the polling: many Americans appear to view campaign cash not merely as influential. but as system-threatening.. The poll also highlights how public opinion can split along partisan lines even when Americans agree on the core problem.. Democrats, the
report states, generally hold the strongest views against money in politics.. At the same time. non-voters were more likely to answer “I don’t know” to questions about money’s role. which lowers the overall shares of Americans who are sharply critical compared with responses from Harris voters and Trump voters.. While there is broad agreement that cash is excessive. the public’s view of what that money can accomplish shows a more pronounced division.. Most Americans believe
money can shape election outcomes. with 39 percent saying it can outright buy results and another 34 percent saying it can influence outcomes without guaranteeing them.. But the report notes a partisan split: Trump voters tend to be more likely to believe money influences without buying results. while Harris voters were more likely to say outcomes can be bought.. Concerns about voter power help connect that perception to the day-to-day realities of campaigning.. When respondents
were asked about how much sway different groups have over politics. about half said voters have too little influence.. That share is far higher than the number of respondents who said voters have too much influence or the right amount. reinforcing the polling’s broader message that many Americans see the system as tilted away from them.. The survey also identifies a wider cast of actors that respondents view as overly powerful.. Six in 10 said
billionaires have too much influence over U.S.. politics. with that view far more prevalent among Democrats—75 percent of Harris voters—than among Trump voters. where the share was 55 percent.. Respondents also reported that political parties. special interest groups. and foreign governments have too much influence. with those figures exceeding the smaller groups who said those actors have too little influence.. Special interest money is a particularly sensitive issue in the poll.. Two-thirds of Americans said
there is too much of it flowing into U.S.. politics, and 53 percent said money of that kind is corrupt and should be subject to stricter regulation.. Notably, that contrasts with the conservative legal principle that political spending is protected expression under free speech doctrine.. The report says this concern crosses partisan lines to a degree: 56 percent of Trump voters also backed stricter regulation rather than free-speech protection for such spending.. The polling suggests
Americans understand that money’s influence can show up in multiple stages of politics. not just election day.. The report describes how campaign funding can affect a candidate’s ability to run advertising, hold events, and hire staff.. It can also influence who gets an opportunity to compete in the first place. shaping the candidate field before voters ever weigh in.. Ultimately, the survey reflects a belief that elections may be decided less by popular persuasion than
by spending power.. A plurality of respondents said the candidate with the most money—not the most popular positions—wins.. The report says this view is especially common among Democrats: over half of 2024 Harris voters said money is the deciding factor. compared with a little over a third of Trump voters.. Taken together, the findings suggest the money-in-politics debate is not confined to one party’s agenda.. Even with differences in how far people think money can
go. the common ground is clear: Americans broadly see the current flow of funds as excessive. as potentially corrosive. and as leaving voters with insufficient power.. For lawmakers facing a political environment marked by record-setting spending and new outside groups entering the fray. the poll underscores a public mood that could shape what reforms—or campaign finance enforcement—receive serious attention next.
money in politics campaign spending POLITICO Poll Public First campaign finance reform election influence outside spending