Fair Elections Now Act Gaining Momentum, Say Advocates

By Linn Grubbstrom - Talk Radio News Service

The Fair Elections Now Act, legislation that allows candidates running for political office to receive public funds and solicit small donations, is gaining considerable support in Congress, according to David Donnelly, the National Campaigns Director with the Public Campaign Action Fund.

“The legislation at this point has 157 co-sponsors in the House and strong bipartisan leadership from Rep. John Larsen (D-Conn.) and Walter Jones (R-N.C.),” Donnelly said during a conference call with fair election advocates Thursday. “We believe that we will win a House vote by the end of this session.”

According to Celinda Lake, a political strategist who joined Donnelly on Thursday’s call, a majority of undecided and independent voters also support the bill.

The legislation would match money raised via small donations with public funds. The advocacy organizations Common Cause and Public Campaign are staging the Campaign for Fair Elections, a multimillion dollar push to promote the legislation.