Future Majority is an advocacy group started in 2018 that supports Democrats and left-of-center institutions on policy, political messaging, and election strategy. ¹ Future Majority’s provides strategic campaign talking points to support left-of-center Democratic candidates in Midwestern states and to oppose President Donald Trump from office and defeat him for reelection. ² It also pushes for various left-wing issues including Obamacare expansion and pro-abortion legislation. ³

Overview

Launched during the midterm elections in 2018, Future Majority’s supported Democratic candidates in Midwestern states led by Republican incumbents. Donors who fund Joe Biden’s presidential campaign gave over $60 million to launch Future Majority. ⁴ Their primary geographical targets for influencing elections were Midwestern states, especially Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. ⁵

A large portion of Future Majority’s work involves creating documents and briefs for political candidates and other political organizations involve in elections. Future Majority’s strategy is largely centered around messaging for undecided voters. ⁶ Aside from election strategy, Future Majority supports various left-wing political issues, including expanded abortion access, the expansion of Obamacare, and liberalizing student loan repayments. ⁷ As part of its main agenda, Future Majority deems climate change “the defining issue of our time.” ⁸

Future Majority has explicitly mentioned a desire to defeat several Republican elected officials, including President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). As well, more generally stated goals are to “beat” the Republican National Committee and “the Russians” although they have not revealed more detail publicly. ⁹ Future Majority accepts donations through ActBlue Civics, a left-of-center donation platform for liberal activist organizations. ¹⁰

Present Activities

For the 2018 midterm elections, Future Majority advised the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) on voter messaging, analyzing how undecided voters view the Democratic and Republican parties. ¹¹ Their self-proclaimed efforts include strategic advice to “fight fake news” and combat conservative social media. ¹²

In March 2019, a memo written by Future Majority describes strategies to defeat President Donald Trump through messaging by Democratic candidates and organizations. ¹³

In June 2019, Future Majority published a memo for a survey conducted in conjunction with Change Research asking high propensity voters’ opinions on major policy issues, including impeaching President Trump and abortion. The memo included survey questions asking if Democrats believe Attorney General William Barr lied to Congress and should be impeached, if President Trump obstructed the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 elections, and if they believe Trump conspired with a foreign government to win the 2016 presidential election. Future Majority concluded the memo with various strategic recommendations to increase the proportion of Democrats in elected office, including painting Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell as “the target of obstruction”. ^{14 15}

New Leaders Council

Future Majority’s governor Matthew Tompkins, executive director Mark Riddle, and Brett Avery Sefried, who is connected through the incorporating LLC for Future Majority, collectively run the New Leaders Council (NLC), a networking group for left-of-center political activists. Riddle, Tompkins, and Sefried operate in New Leaders Council as president, vice president, and general counsel respectively. ¹⁶

PAC and Super PAC

Future Majority’s principal governor Matthew Tompkins created a related super PAC in April 2019 with the goal of raising tens of millions of dollars for 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. The super PAC was named Biden PAC, despite rules forbidding the creation of PACs with the name of a candidate running for political office. Biden’s presidential campaign communications director and deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield has explicitly stated that Biden’s presidential campaign “does not welcome assistance” from super PACs. ^{17 18}

National Public Radio criticized Future Majority’s method of creating a network to funnel “dark money” through their super PAC, the American’s Future Majority Fund, established in February 2019. ¹⁹ Despite this, Future Majority publicly endorses HR 1, a Democratic proposal to substantially restrict election advocacy by social welfare groups like Future Majority. Mark Riddle described HR 1 as “the most important piece of legislation that can be passed.” ²⁰ Future Majority also ran a political ad in 2018 endorsing the Disclose Act. ²¹ Both bills were written to require public disclosure of political funding and/or prohibition of funding by certain entities for political elections. ^{22 23} In a memo from March 2019, Future Majority notes they must “focus [their] fury on Mitch McConnell” to ensure H.R. 1 would pass the Senate. ²⁴

Leadership

Matthew Tompkins is the governor of Future Majority and founded America’s Future Majority Fund. Tompkins also works for a non-profit by the same name that was founded by Mark Riddle. ²⁵ Tompkins also founded Biden PAC, which was renamed G Street and removed Tompkins from the position of treasurer the same day it was founded. ²⁶

Dan Sena and Julianna Smoot both operate as advisers for Future Majority. Sena was the executive director for the DCCC in the 2016 presidential election and co-founded the left-wing Sena Kozar Strategies in March 2019. ²⁷ Smoot was previously deputy campaign manager for the 2012 presidential campaign of President Barack Obama.

Dustin Robinson is the agent for incorporation records for both Future Majority and America’s Future Majority Fund. Robinson was also the communications director for New Leaders Council and worked on Organizing for Action, a 501(c)(4) created by former campaign aides for President Obama. ²⁸

1. Severns, Maggie. “Top Dem strategists launch secret-money group to rebrand party.” Politic. April 29, 2019. Accessed June 30, 2019. https://www.politico.com/story/2019/04/29/democrats-money-future-majority-1291388.
2. “Strategic Advice for Democrats Moving Forward.” Future Majority. June 17, 2019. Accessed June 30, 2019. https://static.wixstatic.com/ugd/fc6626_1eee0bc64df24e55bb20c24434b99b0c.pdf.
3. “About.” Future Majority. 2019. Accessed June 30, 2019. https://www.futuremajority.org/pages/about.
4. Severns, Maggie. “Top Dem strategists launch secret-money group to rebrand party.” Politic. April 29, 2019. Accessed June 30, 2019. rhttps://www.politico.com/story/2019/04/29/democrats-money-future-majority-1291388.
5. Schoffstall, Joe. “Biden Backers Launch $60 Million Secret Money Dem ‘Strategy Center’ for 2020.” Accessed June 30, 2019. https://freebeacon.com/politics/biden-backers-launch-60-million-secret-money-dem-strategy-center-for-2020/
6. Severns, Maggie. “Top Dem strategists launch secret-money group to rebrand party.” Politic. April 29, 2019. Accessed June 30, 2019. rhttps://www.politico.com/story/2019/04/29/democrats-money-future-majority-1291388.
7. “Trump Kills Popular Student Loan Forgiveness Program.” Future Majority. March 3, 2019. Accessed June 30, 2019. https://www.futuremajority.org/articles/133-trump-kills-popular-student-loan-forgiveness-program.
8. “About.” Future Majority. 2019. Accessed June 30, 2019. https://www.futuremajority.org/pages/about.
9. Wegmann, Philip. “For 2020 Dems, Dark Money is Taboo – and Much Needed.” RealClearPolitics. May 2, 2019. Accessed June 30, 2019. https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2019/05/02/for_2020_dems_dark_money_is_taboo_–_and_much_needed_140215.html.
10. “Donate now to support future Majority!” Future Majority. 2019. Accessed June 30, 2019. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/fmdonate.
11. Severns, Maggie. “Top Dem strategists launch secret-money group to rebrand party.” Politic. April 29, 2019. Accessed June 30, 2019. rhttps://www.politico.com/story/2019/04/29/democrats-money-future-majority-1291388.
12. Severns, Maggie. “Top Dem strategists launch secret-money group to rebrand party.” Politic. April 29, 2019. Accessed June 30, 2019. rhttps://www.politico.com/story/2019/04/29/democrats-money-future-majority-1291388.
13. Severns, Maggie. “Top Dem strategists launch secret-money group to rebrand party.” Politic. April 29, 2019. Accessed June 30, 2019. rhttps://www.politico.com/story/2019/04/29/democrats-money-future-majority-1291388.
14. Survey shows warning sign for Democrats.” Future Majority. June 10, 2019. Accessed June 30, 2019. https://static.wixstatic.com/ugd/fc6626_833fa1f8bfd6479197133949802e9547.pdf.
15. Strategic Advice for Democrats Moving Forward.” Futur Majority. June 17, 2019. Accessed June 30, 2019. https://static.wixstatic.com/ugd/fc6626_1eee0bc64df24e55bb20c24434b99b0c.pdf.
16. Schoffstall, Joe. “Biden Backers Launch $60 Million Secret Money Dem ‘Strategy Center’ for 2020.” Accessed June 30, 2019. https://freebeacon.com/politics/biden-backers-launch-60-million-secret-money-dem-strategy-center-for-2020/.
17. Parnes, Amie & Easley, Jonathan. “Biden allies launch super PAC. The Hill. April 26, 2019. Accessed June30, 2019. https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/440920-biden-allies-launch-super-pac.
18. Schoffstall, Joe. “Biden Backers Launch $60 Million Secret Money Dem ‘Strategy Center’ for 2020.” Accessed June 30, 2019. https://freebeacon.com/politics/biden-backers-launch-60-million-secret-money-dem-strategy-center-for-2020/.
19. Olsen-Philips, Peter. “Democrats Increasingly Rely on Dark Money.” U.S. News & World Report. April 30, 2019. Accessed June 30, 2019. https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2019-04-30/democrats-increasingly-rely-on-dark-money.
20. “About.” Future Majority. 2019. Accessed June 30, 2019. https://www.futuremajority.org/pages/about.
21. “Pass the Disclose Act.” Youtube. November 1, 2018. Accessed June 30, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6BSi9cwf8s.
22. Overby, Peter. “Democrats Want to End Dark Money, But First They Want To Use It.” NPR. May 7, 2019. Accessed June 30, 2019. https://www.npr.org/2019/05/07/720050070/democrats-want-to-end-dark-money-but-first-they-want-to-use-it.
23. “H.R. 1 – For the People Act of 2019.” Congress.gov. January 3, 2019. Accessed June 30, 2019. https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/1     .
24. “Democrats must stay unified in support of H.R. 1.” Future Majority. March 4, 2019. Accessed June 0, 2019. https://static.wixstatic.com/ugd/fc6626_e499d2566d22408b9f409b9697d7a683.pdf.
25. Massoglia, Anna & Evers-Hillstrom, Karl. “Biden Supporters Launch $60 Million Dark Money Group.” Truthout. May 3, 2019. Accessed June 30 2019. https://truthout.org/articles/biden-supporters-launch-60-million-dark-money-group/.
26. Massoglia, Anna & Evers-Hillstrom, Karl. “Biden Supporters Launch $60 Million Dark Money Group.” Truthout. May 3, 2019. Accessed June 30 2019. https://truthout.org/articles/biden-supporters-launch-60-million-dark-money-group/.
27. Bland, Scott. “Former DCCC executive director Sena launches consulting firm.” Politico. March 5 2019. Accessed June 30, 2019. https://www.politico.com/story/2019/03/05/democrats-consulting-dan-sena-1203176.
28. Massoglia, Anna & Evers-Hillstrom, Karl. “Biden Supporters Launch $60 Million Dark Money Group.” Truthout. May 3, 2019. Accessed June 30 2019. https://truthout.org/articles/biden-supporters-launch-60-million-dark-money-group/.