Blue Wave America is a Democratic SuperPAC that focuses on engaging rural voters in swing states. 1 It is operated by Mike Ward, a Kentucky-based political consultant who served one term in the U.S. Congress from 1995 through 1997. 2 3 4
Blue Wave America is not affiliated with the Blue Wave Postcard Movement to turn out low-propensity Democratic voters in swing states, the Blue Wave Project leadership PAC of Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), or the Democratic-aligned political campaign compliance and fundraising firm Blue Wave Political Partners. 5 6 7
Background
Blue Wave America is a SuperPAC that supports Democratic candidates for U.S. Congress, the U.S. Senate, and governor in swing states with significant rural populations. 8 In 2022, it supported candidates in Arizona, Georgia, and Pennsylvania, and in 2024 it is supporting candidates in Colorado, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin. 9
It was founded in 2021 by former U.S. Representative Mike Ward (D-KY), who won a three-way race for Congress in 1994 by 473 ballots out of 152,405 cast and then lost his 1996 reelection campaign by 1,299 votes to Republican challenger Anne Meagher Northup. 10 11 12 Ward is also a former member of the Kentucky State House of Representatives, a radio talk show host in the Louisville market, and was associate director of the U.S. Peace Corps in the Clinton administration. 13 14 As of 2024, he is a political campaign consultant based in Louisville, Kentucky. 15
Operations
Blue Wave America operates from a post office box in Frankfort, Kentucky, but its registered address with the Federal Election Commission is a single-family home in Louisville that shares an address with Legalize Kentucky Now, a pro-medical marijuana legalization nonprofit that Ward founded in 2016 and that was dissolved by the Kentucky Secretary of State’s office in 2017 for failing to file an annual report. 16 17 18
In 2023, Blue Wave America reported making $50,000 in payments to Ward’s political consulting firm Ward Campaigns for “general campaign and political consulting.” 19 That same year, the SuperPAC reported spending $56,750 on regulated independent expenditures for or against candidates, with $8,200 of that amount characterized in FEC filings as “soliciting contributions.” 20
Blue Wave America solicits donations through ActBlue, where its donation page says, “All donations will help fund on-the-ground Democratic field organizers in states like Georgia and Ohio.” 21
References
- “Empowering Rural Democrats.” Blue Wave America. Accessed April 1, 2024. https://bluewaveamerica.com/.
- Schmitt, Eric. “Stiff Challenge to a Democratic Freshman.” The New York Times, October 30, 1996. https://www.nytimes.com/1996/10/30/us/stiff-challenge-to-a-democratic-freshman.html.
- “1996 Primary and General Election Results.” Kentucky State Board of Elections, November 1996. https://elect.ky.gov/results/1990-1999/Pages/1996.aspx.
- “Mike Ward.” Library of Congress. Accessed April 1, 2024. https://www.congress.gov/member/mike-ward/W000139.
- “FAQ.” Blue Wave Postcard Movement. Accessed April 1, 2024. https://shop.bluewavepostcards.org/pages/faq.
- “PAC Profile: Blue Wave Project.” OpenSecrets. Accessed April 1, 2024. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/blue-wave-project/C00460972/summary/2020.
- Blue Wave. Accessed April 1, 2024. https://www.bluewavepolitics.com/.
- “Empowering Rural Democrats.” Blue Wave America. Accessed April 1, 2024. https://bluewaveamerica.com/.
- “Empowering Rural Democrats.” Blue Wave America. Accessed April 1, 2024. https://bluewaveamerica.com/.
- Schmitt, Eric. “Stiff Challenge to a Democratic Freshman.” The New York Times, October 30, 1996. https://www.nytimes.com/1996/10/30/us/stiff-challenge-to-a-democratic-freshman.html.
- “1996 Primary and General Election Results.” Kentucky State Board of Elections, November 1996. https://elect.ky.gov/results/1990-1999/Pages/1996.aspx.
- “Mike Ward.” Library of Congress. Accessed April 1, 2024. https://www.congress.gov/member/mike-ward/W000139.
- “Mike Ward.” Politician Compare. Accessed April 1, 2024. https://www.politiciancompare.com/politicians/mikeward/.
- Osborne, Arlison. “Austin Honors the Peace Corps with Oratorio On Birthday Week-End of President Kennedy; Number of Peace Corps Volunteers to Reach 25-Year High.” U.S. Peace Corps, May 20, 1999. https://www.peacecorps.gov/news/library/austin-honors-the-peace-corps-with-oratorio-on-birthday-week-end-of-president-kennedy-number-of-peace-corps-volunteers-to-reach-25-year-high/.
- “About Mike Ward.” Ward campaigns, 2017. https://wardcampaigns.com/?page_id=10.
- “BLUEWAVEAMERICA – Committee Overview.” Federal Election Commission. Accessed April 1, 2024. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00787945/.
- Gerth, Joseph. “Medical Marijuana Gets Push from Mike Ward.” Louisville Courier-Journal, January 5, 2016. https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/ky-legislature/2016/01/04/former-congressman-pushes-medical-marijuana/78254946/.
- Grimes, Alison Lundergan. “Certificate of Dissolution.” Kentucky Secretary of State, October 9, 2017. https://web.sos.ky.gov/corpscans/39/0858339-09-99999-20171101-ADS-7013115-PU.pdf.
- “BLUEWAVEAMERICA – Committee Overview.” Federal Election Commission. Accessed April 1, 2024. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00787945/.
- “Independent Expenditures.” Federal Election Commission, 2023. https://www.fec.gov/data/independent-expenditures/?q_spender=C00787945&two_year_transaction_period=2024&cycle=2024&is_notice=false&data_type=processed.
- “Give to Blue Wave America.” ActBlue. Accessed April 1, 2024. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/blue-wave-america-frontpage.