Fact Check Team: Top PACs pour millions into tight 2024 presidential race

WASHINGTON (TND) — Vice President Kamala Harris is slightly ahead of former President Donald Trump in the presidential election.

Polling site,FiveThirtyEight, shows Harris leads Trump by close to three points as of Sept. 26.

PACS are spending millions in this close race.

For context, PACs are political action committees organized to raise and spend money to elect and defeat candidates.

Most PACS represent business, labor, or ideological interests. They have limitations when it comes to how much and what they can spend money on. They can spend unlimited amounts of money on ads, according to OpenSecrets, a political money-tracking nonprofit.

OpenSecrets reports the National Association of Realtors is the top PAC to candidates giving over $2 million, 51.11% of it going to Democrats and 48.55% going to Republicans.

When it comes to money raised, ActBlue, which supports Democrats, is the top PAC bringing in nearly $2.5 billion. WinRed, which supports Republicans is second bringing in over $920 million.

One of the newest PACs this election cycle is Drag PAC which is made up of drag queens pushing back on anti-LGBTQ legislation. They have raised over $140,000 so far.

Huge donors are also contributing millions to the election.

Billionaire Timothy Mellon is the top donor giving $165 million to former President Donald Trump, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Republican Congressional candidates. Mellon is the grandson of banking tycoon and former Treasury Secretary, Andrew Mellon.

The top Democrat donor is former New York mayor and former presidential candidate, Michael Bloomberg. According to an analysis from the Washington Post, he has given $42.6 million.

Pennsylvania is seen as the top swing state with 19 electoral votes up for grabs, which is more than all of the other swing states.

More than $300 million will be spent on TV ads for state and federal elections from the end of September up until Election Day, according to AdImpact.When it comes to the presidential race, Democrats are expected to spend nearly $60 million, and Republicans are expected to spend over $50 million.

It's shaping up to be a costly election. Nearly $6.5 billion was spent on the presidential race back in 2020. We will have to wait and see if this year's election surpasses that amount.