Get briefed on NABPAC's first legislative summit as the employee-funded and business trade association PAC industry mobilizes for Capitol Hill. Hosts Micaela Isler and Adam Belmar are joined by board members Joe Manion (American Waterways Operators) and Nicole Porter (US Travel Association) for a look at two key reforms: eliminating outdated prior approval requirements that force companies to choose just one trade association PAC per year, and indexing business PAC contribution limits frozen at $5,000 since 1974.

Episode Sponsor: PASS https://pactrack.net/

As Congress returns from summer recess, employee-funded and business trade association PAC directors face a busy fall. Micaela, David, and Adam discuss NABPAC's upcoming Legislative Summit, the impact of redistricting battles in Texas and California, and why PAC managers must be proactive and flexible. Education precedes solicitation, and keeping donors informed about rapidly changing political dynamics is crucial.

Political chaos erupts as Texas pursues five new GOP House seats mid-decade, triggering retaliatory redistricting threats from Democratic governors. GWU's Casey Burgat breaks down this unprecedented gerrymandering arms race, explaining how states could redraw maps before the 2026 midterms, potentially flipping House control. From jungle primaries to incumbent-versus-incumbent races, discover why this redistricting revolution could reshape American politics.

Join host Micaela Isler and the Facts About PACs podcast team for their annual summer intern special featuring Luke Rinker from The Fund for American Studies (TFAS) and AY Kuwornu from Ghana. From Capitol Hill briefings to cross-party collaboration, these interns reveal what surprised them most about Washington's political finance landscape and why transparency matters more than you might think.

It's hard to believe we've reached 200 episodes! Join Micaela, Adam, and David as we take a nostalgic look back at how our podcast began during those uncertain early days of April 2020. Hear clips from the very first episode and discover how what started as crisis communication evolved into a comprehensive professional development platform reaching political engagement professionals across America.

In this milestone 199th episode, political technologist Eric Wilson reveals how AI is quietly transforming political engagement. With 11% of voters already using ChatGPT for election information—matching podcast usage from six years ago—we're witnessing a seismic shift in how Americans consume political content.
Wilson, Campaigns & Elections' 2021 Technology Leader of the Year and executive director of the Center for Campaign Innovation, explores two potential AI futures: one where it's simply a productivity tool, and another where AI avatars enable voters to have personalized conversations with candidates. He breaks down why PAC professionals need to move beyond SEO to "large language model optimization" and implement dual-track content strategies.
This episode provides essential insights for navigating the AI revolution in political engagement.

Episode Sponsor: Kilbride Public Affairs
https://kilbridepublicaffairs.com/

It's America's 249th birthday, and we're celebrating with fireworks, fake presidential speeches, and some very real breaking news! Just when PAC directors thought they had their 2026 budgets figured out, Senator Tillis dropped a bombshell that turned seven Senate seats into open contests. Plus, hit play to hear why it is your political practitioner's patriotic duty to check out the brand new State Navigate.

Join hosts Micaela Isler, David Schild, and Adam Belmar as they welcome back political prognosticator Jim Ellis for an essential mid-year political update that PAC professionals can't afford to miss. From redistricting battles to competitive races across six open Senate seats, find out why another razor-thin House majority is virtually guaranteed. Essential listening for PAC directors weighing primary endorsement strategies, understanding fundraising dynamics between state and federal races, and planning for what promises to be another highly competitive election cycle, where business community engagement will be critical.

Episode Sponsor: Kilbride Public Affairs
https://kilbridepublicaffairs.com/