The real dark money is fighting to keep Peggy Flanagan out of the US Senate

Local vote 2026

Most people who read my newsletter think of Peggy Flanagan’s Senate campaign in historical terms. She is a citizen of the White Earth Nation and no Native American woman has ever been elected to this chamber. It is long past time for this to happen in a representative democracy.

But others see Flanagan as a threat and are willing to spend big to ensure she doesn’t fade into history.

For more articles by Mark Trahant, visit: Marktrahant.substack.com

It’s not uncommon for U.S. Senate races to cost millions of dollars. But in Minnesota, spending records are being broken in a primary election, already topping $12 million. The most expensive elementary school in Minnesota ever. And most of the money is intended to ensure that Peggy Flanagan does not win the DFL primaries next month.

The cool thing is that the reasons are ideological.

Across the country, millions of dollars are being invested to ensure that “centrist” Democrats win. And the term “centrist” captures some common themes, such as support for the Israeli government, the health care status quo (protecting insurance companies and the pharmaceutical industry), and this year’s biggest funder, the shady network that includes crypto traders (including sports betting and prediction markets).

From a new report from Public Citizen:

“In the 2026 midterm elections, corporate money will play a bigger role than ever in influencing Americans’ choice. The cryptocurrency sector’s political playbook from 2024 onwards – prioritizing corporate priorities over parties or candidates and using their financial power to discipline incumbent lawmakers and candidates – is leading to copycat corporate campaigns from other sectors.

“Months before Election Day, companies have already spent a total of $517 million to influence the federal election – a 12% increase from the $461 million companies spent in the entire 2024 election cycle and nearly triple the $184.1 million companies spent in the previous midterm election in 2022.”

Most of this money is “dark” money. Secret money spent directly by Political Action Funds to support candidates. In June, one of those groups, North Star Dawn, used a “deep fake” advertisement to attack Flanagan. (I’m portraying her as a businesswoman. Sweet. The evidence is a PAC for Democratic lieutenant governors. But the thing is, why is Peggy Flanagan on the other side of pretty much every issue mentioned in the attack ad?)

What is dark money? It stems from a 2010 Supreme Court decision that allowed corporations and other outside groups to spend unlimited amounts on elections. Public Citizen says, “This means that the full amount of direct corporate influence spending in the 2026 election is unknown and will certainly be higher than the amounts reported in required FEC disclosures and made publicly available.”

Politics in 2026. Dark money. Deep fakes. And interest groups committed to ensuring that “their” industry is successful in the next Congress.

Peggy belongs to the center-left camp. She supports universal health care, and that means the health care industry—insurance companies, providers, and the pharmaceutical industry—view her choice as a threat. (And it’s an industry that her primary opponent, Rep. Angie Craig, worked in before she was in Congress.)

Source: AIPAC Tracker

Another main division concerns US support for Israel and its military. This includes funds from groups and individuals affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). This is a difficult issue in this election because the AIPAC brand is toxic in Democratic politics. But this is where dark money comes into play. Donors can support candidates privately without establishing a connection to AIPAC. By one estimate, the PAC pooled more than $500,000 in donations for Craig plus dark money. However, it is important to note that Craig has been a staunch supporter of Israel since she entered Congress.

Then there is cryptocurrency. This is real shadow; a tangled web, dark money and a speculative industry that no one understands. It includes the prediction markets, which may currently be the most corrupt legal enterprise in the country. (Want to bet on an event in the next 15 minutes? Sign me up.)

Quiver Quantitative estimates that the total expenses (and that would be money that doesn’t go to Peggy Flanagan) are about $31.62 million. That’s more than double the official spending figure of $12 million. FYI: The digital tracker charts for Peggy Flanagan and Angie Craig.

Overall, Quiver Quantitative estimates that crypto firms have invested over $189 million by the 2026 midterm elections.

Public Citizen’s findings:

“Cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence, big tech and online betting companies have collaborated Spent $294 million to influence the federal election in the 2026 midterm cycle, reflecting a strategic move to spend directly on political action committees to influence the federal election.

“These corporate political super PAC donations make up for it 57% of the $517 million that companies have so far reported spending for the 2026 midterm elections.

“The total for 2026 so far is almost a third des $1.58 billion that companies have spent since the US Supreme Court ruling in 2010 Citizens United vs. FEC to enable direct corporate spending in federal elections.

“The medium-term spending of half a billion by companies breaks the previous record $461 million in disclosed federal corporate expenditures established during the year 2024 Cycle.

“The main beneficiaries of the 60 million dollars Spending by major technology and AI companies are industry-oriented Leading the Future ($50.1 million) And MAGA Inc. ($6 million)

“The main beneficiary of the $45.6 million in spending by online betting companies is industry-oriented Victory for America PAC ($43 million).

“Crypto companies that pushed this strategy in the 2024 presidential election cycle remain the dominant corporate political donors.” A third (37%) of corporate money donated in this year’s election came from crypto companies ($189 million so far)..”

Be brave.

A few final points.

First: Across the country – at least so far – the candidates with a lot of money have not been the most successful.

On PBS News Hour, Mo Elleithee of the Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service said one of the winning messages this election year is to be bold. He said: “They’re tired of incrementalism. And right now the progressive wing of the party sounds bolder. The moderate wing of the party, the centrist wing, the establishment wing, seems to be more incremental. And these days people want a fighter and someone who will boldly pursue change.”

Courage is Peggy Flanagan’s campaign message.

Second: We have to make elections better. I think we should eliminate all external funding and publicly funded campaigns. An interesting way to do this is through Seattle’s local elections, where citizens receive vouchers to support candidates.

Another takeaway from Minnesota: People really don’t like dark money campaign spending.

Open Secrets says: “An overwhelming, bipartisan majority of voters support major campaign finance reforms — including ending dark money spending and reinstating money limits in elections — with support for both proposals topping 75 percent among Democrats, Republicans and independents, a new poll finds.”

Correction: The article previously had two bylines. Mark Trahant is the sole author of this article.

Related

https://nativenewsonline.net/currents/the-really-dark-money-fighting-to-keep-peggy-flanagan-out-of-the-u-s-senate/