Gale Kaufman is the president and founder of Kaufman Campaign Consultants (KCC), a left-of-center political consulting group that caters to left-of-center and Democratic political candidates and organizations. Kaufman is closely aligned with a number of labor unions, most notably, the California Teachers Association (CTA), which she has represented for most of her career. ¹ Kaufman has made numerous large donations to various Democratic candidates, PACs, and other organizations. ²

Kaufman Campaign Consultants (KCC)

Kaufman Campaign Consultants, also referred to as Kaufman Campaigns, is a left-of-center campaign management firm founded in 1987 by Gale Kaufman. ³ The company has a history of representing high-profile Democratic campaigns and providing services to non-profit organizations associated with the Democratic party. Kaufman and her company provided services to Democracy Works, a left-of-center voter registration organization that promotes voter participation through social media and other technology. ⁴

The organization has also controlled campaigns for large labor unions with presences in California. Most notably, Kaufman’s company has represented the California Teachers Association, the SEIU, and others. ⁵ Kaufman also served as a consultant for the Alliance for a Better California, a California-based coalition organization of labor unions in California supporting laws more friendly to labor unions in the state. ⁶ Coalition members of the organization include high profile labor unions such as ASFCME, CTA, SEIU, and the California Labor Federation. ⁷

California Forward

Kaufman was hired as a consultant in 2010 by California Forward, a left-of-center economic advocacy organization supported by liberal grantmaking organizations and numerous labor unions. ⁸ Most notably, the organization has received donations from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the left-of-center grantmaking organization of HP Computers co-founder William Hewlett; the California arm of the SEIU; and the California Endowment, a large left-of-center grantmaking organization based in California that pushes for increased access to abortion, expansionist immigration laws, and other Democratic-aligned issues. ⁹

Democracy Works

Kaufman and her consulting company have been longtime consultants to Democracy Works, a left-of-center voter participation advocacy organization that promotes the use of technology and social media to increase voter turnout. Kaufman is also member of the board of directors for the organization. ¹⁰ Democracy Works has received large donations from left-of-center and liberal organizations such as the Democracy Fund, Open Society Foundations, and Pew Charitable Trusts, to name a few. ¹¹

2000 Bill Bradley Campaign

Kaufman worked as the senior campaign advisor for U.S. Senator Bill Bradley (D-NJ) during his 2000 presidential campaign. ¹² Bradley sought the Democratic nomination for presidential candidate, but lost to Vice President Al Gore, who was eventually defeated by George W. Bush. During the campaign, Kaufman expressed support for Bradley’s Democratic talking points such as increased access to abortion, stricter firearms laws, and race-based issues. ¹³

Political Contributions

Kaufman has made sizable donations to various Democratic candidates for public office. Most notably, Kaufman made $4,550 in donations to Biden Victory Fund and Biden for President, two committees associated with the 2020 Joe Biden presidential campaign. She also made donations to the PACs associated with Democratic presidential candidates including $1,000 to John Kerry, $8,285 to Barack Obama, and $1,130 to Hillary Clinton. ¹⁴

Kaufman also donated large sums to other Democratic PACs covering a wide variety of advocacy issues. She has made numerous donations to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee totaling $10,000. She also made donations totaling $2,715 to the Democratic National Convention. ¹⁵

1. “Gale Kaufman Recognized as ‘trailblazer’ on tough political battle in California.” Sacramento Bee. Accessed June 20, 2021. https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article139194678.html
2. “Individual Contributions: Gale Kaufman.” FEC.gov. Accessed June 20, 2021. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=gale%20kaufman
3. “Kaufman Campaign Consultants.
4. “Organization Profile: Democracy Works.” Influence Watch. Accessed June 22, 2021. https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/democracy-works/.
5. “Capitol Weekly Profile: Gale Kaufman.” Capitol Weekly. Accessed June 22, 2021. https://capitolweekly.net/gale-kaufman-profile/
6. “Fierce Partisan Thwarted Schwarzenegger.” Los Angeles Times. Accessed June 22, 2021. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-nov-11-me-kaufman11-story.html
7. “UCLA Library Web Archives: Alliance for a Better California.” UCLA Library. Accessed June 21, 2021. http://digital.library.ucla.edu/websites/2005_997_002/about_the_alliance/index.htm
8. “Organization Profile: California Forward.” Influence Watch. Accessed June 21, 2021. https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/california-forward/
9. “Organization Profile: California Forward.” Influence Watch. Accessed June 25, 2021. https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/california-forward/
10. 2019 IRS Form 990 Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax: Democracy Works. Part VII, Officers and Board of Directors.
11. “Organization Profile: Democracy Works.” Influence Watch. Accessed June 22, 2021. https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/democracy-works/.
12. “It’s California or Bust, It Seems in ’00 Campaign.” New York Times. Accessed June 25, 2021. https://www.nytimes.com/1999/12/09/us/it-s-california-or-bust-it-seems-in-00-campaign.html
13. “Bradley and Gore Gear up for California.” SFGate. Accessed June 22, 2021. https://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Bradley-and-Gore-Gear-Up-for-California-2805733.php
14. “Individual Contributions: Gale Kaufman.” FEC.gov. Accessed June 20, 2021. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=gale%20kaufman
15. “Individual Contributions: Gale Kaufman.” FEC.gov. Accessed June 20, 2021. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=gale%20kaufman