About the data

Update, October 18, 2018: The tracker now includes candidate grades from the NRA. Read more about the data.

Update, August 14, 2018: The tracker now uses the ProPublica Campaign Finance API for independent expenditure data.

The database consists of independent expenditures and direct campaign contributions made by the National Rifle Association’s lobbying arm, the Institute for Legislative Action, and its Political Victory Fund PAC, to U.S. congressional candidates during the 2018 election cycle (2017-2018). The data is collected periodically from the Federal Election Commission API (candidates and campaign contributions) and the ProPublica Campaign Finance API (independent expenditures).

Candidate support totals are the sum of direct contributions to a candidate’s campaign, which are capped at $5,000 per election, and independent expenditures made in support of the candidate, which are unlimited. Oppose totals are the sum of independent expenditures opposing a candididate.

Recent independent expenditures are pulled from 24- and 48-hour reports, and then replaced with values from monthly reports once they are filed, which may cause totals to shift. Direct contributions only appear in monthly reports. Expenditures identified as memo items are excluded from the data.

The list of special elections is from Ballotpedia.

If you have feedback or spot an issue with the data, please contact [email protected].

