Every election season, Arizonans hear about PACs, Super PACs, “outside spending,” and “dark money.” The terms are easily confused. What we wanted to know: Who is trying to influence our votes, and can voters see who is paying for the message?
A PAC, or political action committee, is an organization that raises or spends money to influence elections. PACs may be connected to labor unions, business interests, professional associations, ideological groups, political parties, ballot campaigns, or community causes. Some support candidates directly; others spend independently on ads, mailers, digital messages, canvassing, or voter turnout.
In Arizona, campaign finance law requires political committees to disclose certain information about their organization, money, and resources used in the political process. Voters can search Arizona’s campaign finance information through the Secretary of State’s campaign finance tools and the “See the Money” (aka Spotlight) database.
As of recent 2026 campaign finance data compiled by Transparency USA, some of the largest Arizona state-level committees included:
The PAC for America’s Future - AZ
Protect Education Accountability Now
Western States Regional Council of Carpenters Issues Committee
Fortify AZ, State + Local Election Alliance
Copper State Values
House Victory Fund
Arizona Association of Realtors’ Protecting the American Dream Fund
DLCC Victory Fund
Arizonans for Responsible Healthcare
ActBlue Arizona, and
Arizona Pipe Trades 469
These represent a mix of national-affiliated groups, state-focused committees, labor organizations, real estate interests, education-related efforts, and issue or candidate-focused spending.
Are these all national PACs? No. Some have clear national connections, such as DLCC Victory Fund or ActBlue Arizona. Others are Arizona-based or Arizona-focused, including state legislative funds, labor committees, real estate committees, and local issue committees. State elections often involve both local concerns and national money.
How much do PACs spend compared with private citizens? It depends on the race and reporting period, but organized committees can spend very large sums. Recent 2026 Arizona data from Transparency USA showed more than $112 million in total committee contributions and more than $73 million in committee expenditures. Candidate committees also raise and spend millions, and private citizens remain important contributors. Still, PACs and committees can concentrate resources, coordinate messaging, and shape what voters see long before they encounter a candidate directly.
This does not mean every PAC is bad. Many groups use political committees to participate in democracy: teachers, nurses, unions, business owners, environmental advocates, housing advocates, public safety groups, and community organizations. The issue is not simply whether money is involved. The issue is whether voters can understand who is speaking, why they are speaking, and what interests they represent.
Are PACs and dark money synonymous? No. A PAC is generally a registered political committee that reports donors and spending. A Super PAC can raise and spend unlimited money independently of candidates, but it must disclose donors. “Dark money” usually refers to election-related spending where the original source of the money is hidden, often through nonprofits, trade associations, or layered organizations.
Do you remember Prop 211 in 2022? Just four years ago, Arizona voters approved Proposition 211, the Voters’ Right to Know Act, to require more disclosure of major donors behind campaign spending. The goal was to help voters know who is paying for political media and campaign messages; a message may look like it comes from a friendly-sounding committee while the actual money behind it may come from a wealthy donor, corporation, industry group, union, national organization, or another hidden source.
Moral questions. For people of faith, campaign money raises moral questions, not just legal ones. Lutherans believe civic life should serve the common good. Elections should help communities choose leaders accountable for the well-being of all, especially neighbors whose voices are too often ignored.
When large amounts of money shape public debate, people of faith can ask:
Who benefits from this spending?
Is the source transparent?
Is the message truthful?
Does it encourage participation or manipulate fear?
Does it lift up vulnerable neighbors or protect narrow interests?
Are ordinary voters being informed — or overwhelmed?
Money in politics can distort democracy when elected officials become more responsive to major donors than to hungry families, renters, workers, immigrants, students, people with disabilities, rural communities, Tribal communities, and neighbors struggling to access health care. It can also crowd out the quieter voices of people whose lives are deeply affected by public policy but cannot afford to buy ads or fund campaigns.
Thankfully, people of faith do not need to become campaign finance experts to respond faithfully. We can take a breath. We can ask who paid for a message, check reliable sources, use public campaign finance databases, and refuse to forward political claims if we don’t understand where they came from. We can also support transparency, accountability, and nonpartisan voter education.
LAMA’s concern is not whether one party or another benefits from PAC spending. Our concern is whether Arizona voters can participate in public life with truthful information, transparent funding, and confidence that every neighbor’s voice matters.
In a democracy, money will always be part of elections. But money should not be hidden, misleading, or so overwhelming that it drowns out the people most affected by public decisions. As Lutherans, we are called to seek the well-being of all — and that includes paying attention to who is trying to shape our public life, how they are doing it, and whether their influence serves the common good.