The 2026 midterms are on track to be the most expensive in American history, $12 billion in ad spending alone, before counting what's sitting in PACs and super PACs. 100 billionaire families are contributing over 20% of total election spending. Most of it is dark money: you don't get to know who donated, why, or what they're asking for in return.

Tiffany Muller is the head of End Citizens United, the organization fighting to get corporate money out of elections. She's back on the show for the second time this cycle to break down where things actually stand with 60 days to go.

The most surprising finding from this primary season: candidates who pledged to reject corporate PAC money are outperforming candidates who took it. El-Sayed won in Michigan without PAC money. Angela Nixon won in Florida without PAC money, outspent 16 to 1. The data is suggesting that in 2026, the corporate money pledge may actually be a political asset rather than a liability.

Then there's the AI ads problem. AI is set to spend $150 million in this election cycle producing political content. In the final stretch before November, voters are already seeing a deepfake of Governor Kathy Hochul doing a walk-and-talk saying things she never said, a James Telerico ad placing him in a dress, and an LBJ-style Daisy ad remake. Minnesota banned AI in political ads. An outside group used an AI likeness of the Democratic candidate there anyway. Only three states have any law on the books at all.

And the Supreme Court just issued a new ruling, NRSC versus FEC, that opened even more floodgates for big money.

End Citizens United

Make It Make Sense Substack

CHAPTERS:

0:00 The most expensive midterm in history: $12 billion, dark money, and why Grant sat on this interview

2:05 Tiffany Muller: President of End Citizens United, back for her second appearance this cycle

2:42 Where things actually stand: still on track to shatter every spending record, and then the Supreme Court opened more floodgates

4:10 Michigan at $60 million, North Carolina and Ohio Senate races potentially hitting $1 billion each

5:09 Dark money explained: the shell company chain that makes sure you never find out who's actually paying

6:35 100 billionaire families contribute over 20% of all election spending: what that actually means for your vote

7:40 The corporate money pledge: why candidates rejecting PAC money are winning anyway

10:00 El-Sayed in Michigan, Nixon in Florida: the data from this primary cycle on no-PAC candidates

14:00 The NRSC versus FEC ruling: what the Supreme Court just opened up for big donors

18:00 Can you fix this system? What actual reform looks like and why it's harder than it sounds

22:00 The bipartisan case: this broken system hurts voters on both sides of the aisle

26:00 AI ads in the 2026 midterms: $150 million, deepfakes of real candidates, and only three states with any law

29:00 Kathy Hochul walking and talking. James Telerico in a dress. The LBJ Daisy ad. All AI. All real.

31:25 Minnesota banned AI ads. An outside group used an AI likeness of their candidate anyway.

33:46 What has to happen before November and what Grant will be tracking in 2027

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