PAConomics: Why Good Economies Make PAC Fundraising Harder

How much of your PAC's fundraising year is you — and how much is just the economy you're operating in? Chad Taylor of SAGAC Public Affairs put it to the test: 15 cycles, 300 business PACs, $4 billion in receipts. The surprise? When you de-trend the data, a hotter economy means slower fundraising. Uncertainty drives giving; prosperity doesn't. Adam Belmar and David Schild unpack the "insurance theory" of PAC fundraising, the three-factor UPP check for reading your cycle, and why your fall ask should open with the congressional calendar — not last quarter's earnings.