Decision removes federal limits on coordinated spending between political parties and candidates for Congress and president.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court has struck down federal limits on how much political parties may spend in coordination with candidates for Congress and president, a decision expected to reshape federal campaigns while having little immediate effect on Oklahoma’s statewide elections.
In a 6-3 decision issued Tuesday, the court ruled that limits on coordinated expenditures by political party committees violate the First Amendment’s protections for political speech. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote the majority opinion, joined by the court’s five other conservative justices. Justice Elena Kagan dissented, joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson.
The case, National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Election Commission, challenged provisions of federal campaign finance law that limited how much national and state political party committees could spend in coordination with candidates for federal office.
Before Tuesday’s ruling, parties could work directly with candidates on advertising and other campaign activities, but coordinated spending was capped under federal law. Those limits no longer apply.
The decision does not eliminate contribution limits on donors giving directly to candidates or political parties, nor does it change federal campaign disclosure requirements. Instead, it removes the ceiling on coordinated expenditures made by political party committees on behalf of federal candidates.
Supporters of the challenge argued the restrictions violated the First Amendment by preventing political parties from fully supporting their own nominees. Opponents contended the limits served as an important safeguard against corruption by preventing wealthy donors from using party committees to circumvent contribution limits imposed on candidates.
The Supreme Court concluded the coordinated spending limits imposed an unconstitutional burden on political speech and association.
Limited effect on Oklahoma elections
For Oklahoma voters, the ruling will have little immediate impact on the state’s current election cycle.
The Republican runoff for governor, as well as races for lieutenant governor, attorney general, state superintendent, legislative offices and other state and local positions, remain governed by Oklahoma campaign finance laws and regulations enforced by the Oklahoma Ethics Commission.
The ruling instead applies only to federal elections, including campaigns for the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate.
That means future Oklahoma congressional candidates could benefit from closer coordination with national and state party organizations on campaign advertising, voter outreach, fundraising strategy and other election activities without the spending caps that previously applied.
Campaign finance observers say the decision could strengthen the role of political parties in federal elections by allowing them to play a larger financial role alongside their nominees. At the same time, critics argue it could increase the influence of major donors who contribute to party committees.
The decision is expected to have its greatest impact in competitive congressional and presidential races nationwide. Oklahoma’s current statewide campaigns, however, will continue under existing state campaign finance laws.
