With an eye toward November’s midterm elections, the IEC PAC/Freedom Fund Committee approved a goal of $100,000 in contributions to each fund in 2026 during in-person meetings at IEC Business Summit, held in Savannah, Georgia.
If realized, this goal would represent IEC’s best fundraising year by far. The previous record for PAC fundraising was $64,454, set in 2022.
“I’m proud of the committee for setting this ambitious goal and committed to helping realize it,” said Jeremy Croft, IEC’s senior manager of government affairs. “We need to think big if IEC is going to position itself for greater influence in Washington.”
The committee’s goal was heavily informed by PAC contributions in 2025, which total approximately $25,000. This leaves about $100,000 to be raised this year if IEC is to equal the amount raised during the 2023-24 election cycle.
The committee reorganized at the end of 2025 to incorporate a representative from each IEC region, to help chapters set fundraising goals and provide support.
Members of the IEC Board of Directors pledged a total of $11,000 to the PAC at Business Summit, a great kickoff to the fundraising year. But reliance on big donors alone won’t carry IEC through, warns Croft.
“We want every IEC member to understand the impact policies enacted at the state and federal levels have on their pay, benefits, employment opportunities and businesses – and to feel invested in IEC’s advocacy efforts,” said Croft.
Ben Brubeck, IEC’s lobbyist, has worked in advocacy for merit shop organizations for over 20 years. He believes IEC’s dispersed chapter model is a strength that can help support pro-free enterprise candidates in Washington.
“IEC can reach its $100,000 PAC goal if members of each chapter collectively contribute a total of less than $2,000,” said Brubeck. “Max out donors, who give $5,000 in personal money per year, are critical to achieving IEC’s goal, but a successful long-term fundraising culture works best when more donors of all sizes increase their giving year over year.”
With a handful of Republicans in U.S. Congress making overtures to labor unions, and Republican officials inviting union speakers to the Republican National Convention during the 2024 presidential campaign, it’s vital that IEC help pro-business candidates maintain focus on supporting the merit shop. And while this won’t be accomplished by money alone, a stronger IEC PAC and Freedom Fund will help IEC compete with growing union influence in both political parties.
“Money talks, and union support has been baked into the Democratic Party’s fundraising machine for generations,” said Brubeck. “We need to let Congress know that it can’t achieve bipartisan energy goals – whether that’s green energy or simply diversification across domestic energy sources – without merit shop electrical workers, which make up over 90% of the construction industry workforce.”
Due to federal regulations, before restricted class employees of an IEC member company can be solicited for a donation to IEC PAC, a representative from the IEC member company must first sign a PAC authorization form. PAC authorization is accomplished via a simple form that does not obligate someone to make future donations in any way – it only authorizes IEC to solicit certain employees of that company directly for donations. PAC authorization also allows donors to participate in events such as the PAC dinner at IEC’s upcoming Policy Conference in Washington, D.C. and other benefits made available to PAC donors.
IEC PAC donors can give up to $5,000 in personal contributions per year. IEC’s PAC makes contributions to candidates running for federal office.
In contrast, IEC’s Freedom Fund accepts unlimited personal and corporate contributions, and provides funding for Get-Out-The-Vote, voter education, coalition, and litigation activities.
Email Jeremy Croft to learn more about IEC’s PAC and Freedom Fund goals and best practices.