Supreme Court Strikes Down Campaign Spending Limits in Major Election Law Ruling
The Supreme Court struck down federal limits on how much political parties can spend in coordination with candidates, handing Republicans and campaign finance deregulation advocates a major legal win before the 2026 midterm elections.
In a 6–3 decision, the Court ruled that the Federal Election Campaign Act’s limits on coordinated party expenditures violate the First Amendment. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote for the conservative majority, saying the limits restricted political parties’ ability to support their own candidates.
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The ruling means national party committees can spend more directly with campaigns on advertising, messaging and other election activity. That could make party money more valuable in competitive races, especially where coordinated ad strategy matters.
Justice Elena Kagan dissented, joined by the Court’s two other liberal justices, warning that the decision allows parties to function as an alternative financial channel for candidate campaigns and could revive corruption risks the law was designed to prevent.
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