North Carolinians for a Fair Economy (NCFE) is a Democratic-aligned “dark money” advocacy group that was active in the 2018 election cycle, campaigning against an incumbent Republican U.S. House member. The group is a project of the Sixteen Thirty Fund, a funding and fiscal sponsorship organization for liberal lobbying and electoral projects managed by the Washington, D.C.-based consultancy Arabella Advisors.
The New York Times reported that the Hub Project, a Democratic-aligned advocacy group also run by the Sixteen Thirty Fund, “control[led] the money flowing from the Sixteen Thirty Fund into the state-level groups,” among them North Carolinians for a Fair Economy. 1
Hub Project
For more information, see the Hub Project (Nonprofit)
North Carolinians for a Fair Economy is associated with the Hub Project, a project of the Sixteen Thirty Fund described by the New York Times as “an opaquely named Democratic organization” that spent nearly $30 million in the 2018 election cycle “pressuring members of Congress in their districts.” Run by former aides to the campaigns of President Barack Obama, the Hub Project formed groups “with vaguely sympathetic names like … North Carolinians for a Fair Economy” and then “used them to mobilize volunteers and run advertising on policy issues against Republican members of Congress many months before the election.” 1
Targeted Races
In the 2018 election cycle, North Carolinians for a Fair Economy targeted Rep. George Holding (R-NC) with radio and television spots. 2 In August, Holding told supporters that his internal polling showed him down three points to challenger Linda Coleman, a former Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor. Holding “attributed some of the poll numbers to television ads being run by North Carolinians for a Fair Economy, a super PAC that is not required to name its donors.” 3 NCFE attacked Holding throughout the campaign, including flying a plane over a Wake County, North Carolina GOP picnic trailing a banner that read, “Congressman Holding: Hands Off Our Health Care.” 4 Holding eventually won re-election 51-46 percent. 5
References
- Alexander Burns. “With $30 Million, Obscure Democratic Group Floods the Zone in House Races.” New York Times. Oct. 31, 2018. Accessed June 7, 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/31/us/politics/democrats-dark-money-midterms.html.
- Lynn Bonner and Brian Murphy. “Dark money from the left targets NC congressman.” Raleigh News-Observer. July 27, 2018. Accessed June 7, 2020. https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article215450855.html.
- Drew Gerber. “Holding Says Internal Polling Shows Him Down 3.” The Hotline. Aug. 21, 2018. Accessed on Westlaw (2018 WLNR 25529475) on June 7, 2020.
- “Airplane Banner Welcomes Congressman Holding at GOP Fundraiser.” North Carolinians for a Fair Economu. July 14, 2018. Accessed June 7, 2020. https://www.ncfaireconomy.org/news/airplane-banner-welcomes-congressman-holding-at-gop-fundraiser/.
- Brian Murphy. “Holding tops Coleman, wins re-election in 2nd Congressional District.” Raleigh News-Observer. Nov. 6, 2018. Accessed June 7, 2020. https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article221028705.html.