Project 218 PAC is a Democratic Party-aligned super PAC closely affiliated with American Bridge 21st Century. Both the treasurer and assistant treasurer listed on Project 218 PAC’s statement of organization with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Eva Kemp and Kelsey Garnatz, are employees of American Bridge 21st Century and the latter’s American Bridge 21st Century email address is given as Project 218 PAC’s official committee email address. ^{1 2 3}

Background

Project 218 PAC was established on February 28, 2024, as an independent-expenditure super PAC with an address in Washington, D.C. It is affiliated with both American Bridge 21st Century, a Democratic Party-aligned super PAC founded by David Brock, and American Bridge Research Fund. Both the treasurer and assistant treasurer listed on Project 218 PAC’s statement of organization with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Eva Kemp and Kelsey Garnatz, are employees of American Bridge 21st Century and the latter’s American Bridge 21st Century email address is given as Project 218 PAC’s official committee email address. ¹ Project 218. Statement of Organization. Federal Election Commission. February 28, 2024. Accessed March 3, 2025. https://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/961/202402289622290961/202402289622290961.pdf[/note] ³

Activity

In the 2024 election cycle, Project 218 PAC spent over $10,500,00 in support of Democratic Party candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives, including Josh Riley in New York; Susan Wild in Pennsylvania; Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Emily Randall, and Carmela Conroy in Washington State; Kirsten Engel and Amish Shah in Arizona; Lanon Baccam and Christina Bohannan in Iowa; Adam Frisch in Colorado; Sean Casten and Bill Foster in Illinois; Melanie Stansbury in New Mexico; and Jen Schultz and Rachel Bohman in Minnesota. ^{4 5}

Finances

During the 2023 to 2024 election cycle, Project 218 PAC raised a total of $17,665,994, spent $17,626,864 (including $10,516,619 in independent expenditures), and as of December 31, 2024, had a cash on hand balance of $39,130. ⁶

According to reporting by the Colorado Sun, Project 218 PAC is funded by wealthy Democratic Party donors. ⁵ Employers of donors to the organization include the Stanford Graduate School of Business, the Afghanistan War Commission, Redwood Grove Capital Management, Bridgewater Associates, the University of Washington, Stripe, Amazon, and the University of Wisconsin. ⁷         

Leadership

Eva Kemp is the treasurer of Project 218 PAC and the senior vice president of campaigns for its affiliate American Bridge 21st Century. Previously, she was the senior vice president of paid media at Precision Strategies, special assistant to the president and director of presidential correspondence in the White House during the Biden administration, vice president of programs at SKDKnickerbocker managing the direct mail program for the Biden for President campaign during the 2020 presidential election cycle, a staffer for the independent expenditure political desk at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, deputy states paid media director for Mike Bloomberg’s 2020 presidential campaign, and legislative assistant for U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA). ^{1 2}

Kelsey Garnatz is the assistant treasurer of Project 218 PAC and the director of compliance at its affiliate American Bridge 21st Century. Previously, in 2017, she was a staffer for Ralph Northam’s (D) gubernatorial campaign in Virginia and in 2018 she worked as a staffer with the Northam Inaugural Committee. ^{8 3 2}

1. “American Bridge 21st Century Announces VP of Campaigns Eva Kemp.” American Bridge 21^st Century. June 13, 2023. Accessed March 3, 2025. https://www.americanbridgepac.org/american-bridge-21st-century-announces-vp-of-campaigns-eva-kemp/
2. Project 218. Statement of Organization. Federal Election Commission. February 28, 2024. Accessed March 3, 2025.  https://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/961/202402289622290961/202402289622290961.pdf
3. “Kelsey Garnatz.” ZoomInfo. Accessed March 3, 2025, https://www.zoominfo.com/p/Kelsey-Garnatz/4284343547
4. “Project 218 PAC Recipients, 2024.” OpenSecrets. Accessed March 3, 2025. https://www.opensecrets.org/outside-spending/detail/2024?cmte=C00871368&tab=targeted_candidates
5. Paul, Jesse; Lofholm, Nancy. “Race between Adam Frisch, Jeff Hurd in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District is too close to call.” The Colorado Sun. November 5, 2024. Accessed March 3, 2025. https://coloradosun.com/2024/11/05/hurd-frisch-colorado-3rd-congressional-district-results/
6.  “PAC Profile: Project 218 PAC.” Open Secrets. Accessed March 3, 2025. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/C00871368/summary/2024
7. “Project 218 PAC PAC Donors.” OpenSecrets. Accessed March 3, 2025. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/project-218-pac/C00871368/donors/2024?start=125&page_length=25
8. “Ralph Northam.” Vpap.org. Accessed March 3, 2025. https://www.vpap.org/candidates/67038/expenditures/service-19/vendor-290305-kelsey-garnatz/?page=2