Open Secrets releases a new tool that tracks spending on polls and other campaign expenses. Americans see growth in economy but little personal change. And immigration reform gets strong support. This is HuffPollster for Thursday, February 12, 2015.
During the 2014 campaign cycle, the top polling firms took in over $60 million in campaign disbursements, according to the latest financial disclosure forms filed with the Federal Election Commission.
That’s just one statistic culled from a handy new search tool launched on Wednesday by the Open Secrets web site of the Center for Responsive Politics that breaks down disbursements by campaigns for president and U.S. Congress by campaign committee and vendor.
Until now, if you wanted to find out which campaign consultants did the most business in the last election cycle, or what candidates they polled for, you had to sift through thousands of pages of financial disclosure forms by hand. Now, thanks to improved electronic disclosure requirements by the Federal Election Commission and CRP’s new search tool, answers to those questions are easy to find.
Of greatest interest to those who follow pre-election polls, the section includes an interactive listing of the top 50 “Polling Vendors”. Each firm has a link that when clicked also reveals total receipts from each of their clients.
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-John Sides revisits whether the Bain Capital ads really mattered in 2012. [WashPost]
-Jenny Marder profiles a professional survey-taker. [PBS]
-Fact Tank compiles stats on the legacy of the Daily Show. [Pew]
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story stated misspelled the name of IUSA PAC spokesperson Stu Loeser.
