With the first half of the year in the rearview mirror, IEC’s government affairs staff have been busy assessing progress toward 2026 fundraising goals and exploring ways to maximize the association’s impact in Washington.
In just a few weeks, chapter executive directors will receive an email listing proposed donations to congressional candidates in their region. These candidates have been vetted by IEC government affairs staff to only include merit shop champions who will stand up for your rights and liberties in Washington.
“If a candidate voted yes on the recent Faster Labor Contracts Act, for example, they didn’t make our list,” said Ben Brubeck, IEC lobbyist. “Our goal is to preserve a free enterprise majority in both chambers while also sending a message that Republicans who support radical legislation are out of touch with their constituents.”
In addition to prioritizing staunch merit shop support and candidates in hotly contested races, government affairs staff have also targeted key legislative leaders who could shape committee agendas and move legislation forward.
IEC’s PAC and Freedom Fund are two separate funds that serve different purposes, but each has a vital role in executing our government affairs strategy.
- PAC is used for direct candidate support – donating funds to candidate campaigns that IEC believes will advance merit shop goals in Washington. Donations are capped at $5,000 per candidate, per cycle.
- Freedom Fund is used for issue advocacy – support for the merit shop cause outside of candidate campaigns. Examples of this include:
- Amicus briefs and legal actions that challenge NLRB rulings and policies favoring unions,
- Letters to Congress opposing dangerous legislation like the Faster Labor Contracts Act, and
- Membership in coalitions that monitor and respond to regulatory and legislative actions impacting merit shop electrical contractors and that magnify IEC’s voice into a force that can compete with union influence;
In January 2026, IEC’s PAC/Freedom Fund Committee set a goal of $100,0000 in total contributions to each fund. While Freedom Fund is on pace to meet this goal with a total of $49,575 in contributions as of May 31, PAC contributions only total $33,227 in 2026 so far.
“Ideally, we would be maxing out donations (giving $5,000) to each candidate we support, but right now we don’t have the resources to do that,” said Brubeck.
IEC urges all members to complete the PAC authorization form. This form does not obligate anyone to give – it simply allows IEC to directly ask members to contribute.
To make each fund succeed, IEC needs both large and small donors. Freedom Fund and PAC support all our members, including the heads of large and successful electrical shops as well as new apprentices just beginning their electrical career. A recurring monthly donation, no matter the amount, is the single best thing any IEC member can do to support our advocacy efforts.
With 53 chapters nationwide, IEC can meet its 2026 goal with a total of about $2,000 in contributions to each fund, from each chapter. Resources are available for chapter members to hold fundraising events in their local area; just contact Ben Brubeck or Jeremy Croft to get started.
Thanks to everyone who has donated so far! We look forward to expanding merit shop influence in Washington alongside all our members in 2026 and beyond.