Adam Bonica

Study after study shows campaign ads barely move the needle. So where does money’s real power come from? I ranked the five ways money corrupts politics—from least to most corrosive. What I’ve learned from 15 years of tracking political money:

And now back to my full time job, texting the word "stop" to every living Democrat.

I can't stress enough how counterproductive it is for campaign sites to hit visitors with a donation pop-up they have to close before they can see anything. A week out, most visits to these pages are voters trying to make up their minds.

Trump and Republicans are restarting their voter fraud misinformation machine ahead of the midterms. When I checked, Republican candidates were implicated in voter fraud at up to 38,000x the public’s rate. If they were actually worried about voter fraud, they’d start with their own candidates.

newrepublic.com/article/2171...

Anti-corruption politics has ousted yet another corrupt authoritarian.

Brazil held dad Bolsonaro accountable for an attempted coup and that still seems like the right move (A @perrybaconjr.bsky.social insight)

One benefit of holding leaders accountable for crimes is that if Flávio Bolsonaro tries to overturn this election, he knows exactly where he’d end up. In prison, next to his father.

“I feel like I’m being penalized by the campaigns that I’ve supported.”

NEW: We asked readers if they've been drowning in political texts, calls, mailers and TV ads, and to share pics of what they're getting. Hooo boy, did we get responses! Some fumed its been "harassment." Some won't donate to Dem campaigns ever again. www.huffpost.com/entry/voters...

I can confirm. Indivisible Action spends about a dime of every dollar raised on fundraising costs, which is very efficient. They are a good example of what a genuine grassroots operation looks like.

Again, the scandalous thing about Elon Musk spending $276 million on the 2026 midterms is NOT how *much* money it is. The scandal is how *little* money this is *to him.* Compared to his net worth, this is roughly equal to the median American my age spending $40.

Great conversation with one of my favorite writers, at @hamiltonnolan.bsky.social. We discussed wealth taxes, unions, the media, and AOC 2028. newrepublic.com/article/2169...

I truly admire Muslim public servants in the United States who choose to serve knowing that they will be relentlessly subject to this bigotry.

Got a spam text while reading this 🙃

Again I say, the scam economy is consuming the political will to fight authoritarianism.

There is drunk on power, and then there is three sheets to the wind on the Trump Ocean.

We found that as of right now 73% of your campaign donation goes back to the consultants and vendors (!!!), four times more than just 20 years ago. Only 13% to ads. Even I was shocked.

Just as a private equity firm buys out a corporation and strips it for parts, a consultant class is raiding the Democratic Party and getting “generationally wealthy” along the way New from me and @adambonica.bsky.social newrepublic.com/article/2163...

I shared this and outed myself as a consultant today on linkedin cuz I've become disgusted enough with my field that I will finally wear the "C" title rather than hide behind the organizer, party leader, and strategist titles. We have to change this y'all. Follow and share @adambonica.bsky.social.

If you’re a Democrat with an email address or a phone, you get these pleas: A candidate needs your dollars. Democracy needs your dollars. It doesn’t have to be much—but it can’t be nothing. But where does your donation actually go? trib.al/skt74iy

Also a classic: www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/i-w...

Wow. iop.harvard.edu/youth-poll/5...

literally illegal

Mega-donors giving $1M+ make up 54% of GOP fundraising so far this cycle. It’s not just billionaires lining up for Trump’s open air auction of federal policy and contracts. The GOP also spammed and grifted its own small-dollar base into oblivion.

Trump is out there speed-running corruption before the midterms like a guy trying to max out a stolen credit card before the bank freezes the account.

Incredible reporting on a deeply depressing story of corruption in Congress Anticorruption politics is what brings down authoritarians around the world, but it's hard to do that when you're corrupt too (even if less corrupt) www.propublica.org/article/nava...

Full update from our team. We STILL do not have admin access to the account.

Happy October. How is everyone enjoying the relentless onslaught of Democratic fundraising texts?

Trump renaming things seems profoundly stupid, and it is. It's also a classic strongman move. Turkmenistan's dictator renamed "April" and "bread" after his mother. Mussolini renamed "bar" and "sandwich" to made-up words so people could tell which bars and paninis were fascist. Much like SpaceXSI.

"For America to right itself, we need changes on the scale of Reconstruction and the New Deal. And I worry that’s not going to happen if Democrats and the broader anti-Trump left are taking their cues about what’s necessary and politically possible from the Times." newrepublic.com/article/2160...

My op-ed is out in USA Today www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...

“Oh my God, all of it is for sale. It’s all for sale.”

From me and @adambonica.bsky.social earlier this year www.bostonreview.net/forum/how-no...

Jared Golden (D) endorses Mike Lawler (R) www.lohud.com/story/opinio...

It takes a special kind of calculated cowardice to oppose regulations supported by two-thirds of voters because you rank the threat of the AI industry maybe buying some campaign ads above it maybe killing everyone.

christ

No one is better at cutting through the noise of anti-trans politics and laying bare the trap it sets than @juliaserano.bsky.social. Essential reading.

Tomorrow night, Wednesday Sept 16 at 7 PM, I will be in SF @greenapplebooks.bsky.social on the Park with @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social to talk about my new book, The Carbon Wave. For folks in the bay area, it would be great to see you there! Please share widely. greenapplebooks.com/event/2026-0...

Trump approval among "the most conservative generation in 60 years," Gen Z (ages 18-29, NYT/Siena 9/8-9/13): Approve: 18% Disapprove: 78% www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Nice to know Kamala and Doug accept me for who I truly am.

Excited to bring you this Organized Money episode with @adambonica.bsky.social about spam PACs. Democratic consultants (& its leadership) are using a business model normally associated with elder financial fraud to raise millions of dollars, most of which doesn't go to help candidates get elected.

From my convo with @adambonica.bsky.social Osita Nwanevu for @bostonreview.bsky.social, right before this latest round of conflict over the Democratic Party's position on trans rights www.bostonreview.net/articles/whi...

One week ago, I'd have followed @govpritzker.illinois.gov to the ends of the earth. One week ago, his Ready for the Fight PAC hadn't sent me FOUR begspamming text messages from four different numbers. This has got to stop. It's alienating voters, discrediting the senders and weakening the party.

Where does democracy in the U.S. and around the world currently stand? New from @adamprz.bsky.social, one to the smartest thinkers on the subject. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/11/o...

There is so much corruption Americans' heads should be spinning. There's room to talk about both affordability and this. In fact the messages are complementary—each strengthens the other.