How to Gain the Support of a PAC

A presidential campaign requires financial support from both private individuals and groups. One of the types of groups that supports campaigns is a Political Action Committee, or PAC. These private groups are often formed solely to promote a candidate or a specific piece of legislation. Candidates need to know how to gain support of a PAC.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Gain the Support of a PAC

1. Set up a special section of your campaign to contact and solicit funding from PACs. There are a wide variety of different PACs that fall under categories like workers' unions, health-care groups, law groups and public employees. You'll need several staff members working just to contact PACs.

2. Tailor your campaign pitch to each PAC. For example, if you're trying to get the support of a teachers' PAC, you'll need to talk about your plans for education and how you will help them.

3. Meet with the leading members of a PAC or speak to its general population. Telling a large audience of steel workers about your plans to reform that industry is a good way to get the support of the PAC and also encourage the individual members to contribute to your campaign.

4. Invite representatives of a PAC to your fund-raising meetings. If you already have the written support of a PAC, its members can help you convince others to contribute to your campaign. Many donors won't contribute to a campaign unless they think it will win, so having PAC leaders around you when you're campaigning can convince people that you have a strong campaign.

5. Talk with the PAC about other ways they can support your campaign. While a PAC can give up to $5,000 to a candidate for each election, it can also fund its own advertisements to support you. There is no limit on the amount of money a PAC can spend to promote you as long as the expenses are independent of the campaign.

Tips & Warnings

• You need to report donations by a PAC on your financial reports to the Federal Election Commission.
• You should remind the members of a PAC to support your political party, too. A PAC can donate up to $15,000 per year to your political party.
• Be sure to ask a PAC about its expectations for your support if you are elected. Failure to live up to these expectations could stop the PAC from supporting you if you run for re-election.
• Some PACs won't give to you because of your political stance. For example, don't expect to gain support from the National Rifle Association if you press for gun laws.