Also see League of Conservation Voters (nonprofit)

The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Action Fund is the political action committee of the League of Conservation Voters (LCV). It works to elect politicians to office that it views as “pro-environment” by donating money itself and bundling donations from others. It also donates money to other progressive PACs and Democratic Party groups.

The LCV Action Fund backs politicians who strongly support measures that would increase the price of gas and electricity. It also support politicians who will increase job-killing regulations that disadvantage small businesses in favor of politically connected firms.

Election Activity

2018 Midterm Election

In the 2018 election cycle, the Fund spent just over $775,000 dollars on House and Senate races in the 2018 midterm cycle, ¹all of which went to Democrats. ²

In the House, the Fund spent $599,792 dollars. The largest recipient of funding was Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) who received a total of $10,050 dollars. Other recipients include Lisa Brown (D-WA) and Gretchen Driskell (D-Michi) who both received $9,999 dollars from the Fund.

In the Senate, the Fund spent $168,864 dollars. The largest recipient of funding was Bill Nelson (D-FL) who received a total of $10,939 dollars. Other recipients include Tom Carper (D-DE) who received $10,000 dollars, Krysten Sinema (D-AZ) who received $9,864, and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) who received $9,896 dollars from the Fund.

The LCV Action Fund endorsed a number of Democratic Party candidates for public office, including Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). ³ The LCV Action Fund also gave Whitehouse’s 2018 reelection committee $139,372. ⁴ Whitehouse has been criticized for opposing “dark money” (funding for organizations that don’t disclose their donors) while accepting donations from the LCV, which itself has been criticized as a “‘dark money’ heavyweight” by groups on the Left and Right, including the left-leaning Center for Public Integrity. ⁵

The Fund also issued numerous endorsements for numerous House and Senate candidates across the country. House endorsements included Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL), and Charlie Crist (D-FL). Senate endorsements included Texas U.S. Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke (D), U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). ⁶

The Fund also made donations to left-wing environmental groups, Green Senate Impact 2018 and Sustainable Energy & Environment Coalition, state Democratic parties, and other left-wing organizations such as pro-abortion EMILY’s List. ⁷

2016 Presidential Election

In the 2016 election cycle, the Fund raised and spent nearly $4.5 million.⁸ The Fund donated $774,664 to political candidates, all but $6,032 of which went to Democrats.⁹

The Fund donated $9,626 to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Hillary For America donated $4,784 back to the Fund.¹⁰

The Fund donated over $613,000 to House candidates, all but two of whom were Democrats.  The single largest donation was $11,498 to Congressman Ami Bera (D-California) in his notable campaign against Sacramento sheriff Scott Jones.¹¹ The Fund cut numerous checks for $9,999 and $9,998 to various Democratic congressional candidates. The recipients included Pete Aguilar (D-California), Nanette Barragan (D-California), Emily Cain (D-Maine), Morgan Carroll (D-Colorado), Charlie Crist (D-Florida), Gretchen Driskell (D-Michigan), Pete Gallego (D-Texas), Denise Juneau (D-Montana), and Gail Schwartz (D-Colorado).¹² The most that the Fund donated to a Republican was $5,032 to Jason Walser, a moderate Republican running in North Carolina.

The Fund donated $151,207 to Senate candidates. All of the money was donated to Democrats.¹³

The Democrat who received the most money was U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), who received $15,000. U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-Washington) received the second most with $10,268.

The Democrat who faced a competitive race and who received the most from the Fund was Illinois U.S. Senate candidate Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois), who received $10,000. The next three swing state Democrats who received big money from the Fund were Jason Kander (D-Missouri), Patrick Murphy (D-Florida), and Russ Feingold (D-Wisconsin). All three received $9,998, $9,997, and $9,807 respectively.¹⁴ All three men were defeated.

The Fund also made numerous contributions to various left-wing PACs. The largest two donations were to the Sustainable Energy & Environment Coalition and the Searchlight Leadership Fund. Both PACs received $10,000 apiece.¹⁵ The Sustainable Energy & Environment Coalition is a group supporting liberals in the U.S. House. The Searchlight Leadership Fund is the PAC of former Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.

In addition to direct donations, the Fund helped bundle millions of dollars in small dollar donations to candidates.

1. Center for Responsive Politics, “ League of Conservation Voters: Contributions to Federal Candidates, 2018 cycle”, Center for Responsive Politics, https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pacgot.php?cycle=2018&cmte=C00252940
2. Center for Responsive Politics, “ League of Conservation Voters: Contributions to Federal Candidates, 2018 cycle”, Center for Responsive Politics, https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pacgot.php?cycle=2018&cmte=C00252940
3. Press Release. “LCV ACTION FUND ENDORSES SENATOR SHELDON WHITEHOUSE FOR RE-ELECTION.” League of Conservation Voters. September 5, 2018. Accessed January 21, 2019. http://origin.lcv.org/article/lcv-action-fund-endorses-senator-sheldon-whitehouse-re-election/
4. “Disbursements: League of Conservation Voters Action Fund (Whitehouse for Senate, 2018).” Federal Election Commission, FEC.gov. Accessed January 21, 2019. https://www.fec.gov/data/disbursements/?two_year_transaction_period=2018&data_type=processed&committee_id=C00252940&recipient_name=whitehouse&min_date=01%2F01%2F2017&max_date=12%2F31%2F2018
5. Michael Beckel. “LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS BECOMING ‘DARK MONEY’ HEAVYWEIGHT.” November 22, 2013. Accessed January 21, 2019. https://publicintegrity.org/federal-politics/league-of-conservation-voters-becoming-dark-money-heavyweight/
6. League of Conservation Voters, “Endorsements: 2017-2018 LCV Action Fund Endorsements”, lcv.org, http://origin.lcv.org/endorsements/
7. Center for Responsive Politics, “League of Conservation Voters: PAC to PAC/Party, 2018 cycle”, Center for Responsive Politics, https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pac2pac.php?cycle=2018&cmte=C00252940
8. “League Of Conservation Voters Summary | Opensecrets”. Opensecrets.Org. Accessed June 15 2017. https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.php?strID=C00252940.
9. “League Of Conservation Voters Contributions To Federal Candidates, 2016 Cycle | Opensecrets”. Opensecrets.Org. Accessed June 15 2017. https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pacgot.php?cycle=2016&cmte=C00252940.
10. “League Of Conservation Voters To Pacs/Parties | Opensecrets”. Opensecrets.Org. Accessed June 15 2017. https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pac2pac.php?cycle=2016&cmte=C00252940.
11. “League Of Conservation Voters Contributions To Federal Candidates, 2016 Cycle | Opensecrets”. Opensecrets.Org. Accessed June 15 2017. https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pacgot.php?cycle=2016&cmte=C00252940.
12. “League Of Conservation Voters Contributions To Federal Candidates, 2016 Cycle | Opensecrets”. Opensecrets.Org. Accessed June 15 2017. https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pacgot.php?cycle=2016&cmte=C00252940.
13. “League Of Conservation Voters Contributions To Federal Candidates, 2016 Cycle | Opensecrets”. Opensecrets.Org. Accessed June 15 2017. https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pacgot.php?cycle=2016&cmte=C00252940.
14. “League Of Conservation Voters Contributions To Federal Candidates, 2016 Cycle | Opensecrets”. Opensecrets.Org. Accessed June 15 2017. https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pacgot.php?cycle=2016&cmte=C00252940.
15. “League Of Conservation Voters To Pacs/Parties | Opensecrets”. Opensecrets.Org. Accessed June 15 2017. https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pac2pac.php?cycle=2016&cmte=C00252940.