A political organization that bills itself as a national campaign finance watchdog group is backing Democrat Deborah Ross in the U.S. Senate race in North Carolina.
Deborah Ross and Richard Burr are in a tight contest in the battleground Tar Heel State.
Every Voice, which also supports Hillary Clinton for president, announced its endorsement Friday morning. A key factor in supporting Ross, the group says, is the former lobbyist and legislator’s position on a suggested constitutional amendment which proponents say would make campaign finance laws more stringent.
The group and its affiliated super PAC, Every Voice Action, want to change the campaign finance regulations at the heart of the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court case. Every Action also backs candidates who support the Fair Elections Now Act, a Senate bill pitched by Democrats that would give candidates matching public funds for donations from small contributors – a move proponents say would reduce campaign reliance on money from special interests and mega-donors.
Every Voice opposes allowing super PACs to take in unlimited and undisclosed amounts of political donations from corporations, unions and wealthy individuals. Advocates say the Citizens United decision allows the richest donors to have a louder voice in politics than the average voter.
Clinton has said she’d support changing federal law to effectively undo the Citizens United ruling. Ross has said she’s “conservative when it comes to constitutional amendments but I would consider it after exhausting legislative avenues.”
On a candidate questionnaire submitted to the “End Citizens United” PAC last year, Ross wrote: “I have been a long time advocate for and sponsor of ethics and campaign finance reforms in North Carolina ... The people have a right to know who has a disproportionate influence on campaign finance. This can be done while protecting individual rights.”
Ross, from Raleigh, is challenging two-term Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, from Winston-Salem. Ross was long-considered an underdog in the race but has gained footing in recent months and public opinion polling shows the two are in a statistical tie.
Burr and Ross will appear in their first televised debate together Thursday night.
The Every Voice endorsement comes as North Carolinians are “ready for a change and for a senator who will listen to them, work for them, and put their needs first,” said Ross campaign spokesman Cole Leiter. “That’s who Deborah is and that’s what folks can expect from her as their next U.S. senator.”
Anna Douglas: 202-383-6012, @ADouglasNews
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