What hidden financial forces are truly fueling this unconventional Senate campaign before Election Day?

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The money behind Alani Bankhead’s campaign appears to come less from her own fundraising than from outside groups using opaque channels that are still only partly visible before Election Day. Public filings show Bankhead herself has raised very little — roughly $59,000 for the cycle, with only about $21,000 to $24,000 cash on hand in summer and early fall reporting. Her real lift came from super PAC spending. The biggest known backer was Progressive Vet PAC, which spent about $2.5 million to promote her in the Democratic primary. Another major player, More Jobs, Less Government, spent roughly $866,000 to $890,000 boosting Bankhead and at one point had also opposed Seth Bodnar. The unanswered question is who ultimately funded those PAC efforts. Reporting tied one of the pro-Bankhead outside groups to money routed through a newly formed Delaware corporation with limited public disclosure, while another PAC had links to donors and operatives better known for supporting Republican candidates. That has fueled speculation that some spending was strategic rather than ideological. What is clear is that Bankhead’s viability has depended far more on independent expenditures than on grassroots donations. The available evidence suggests a mix of dark-money nonprofits, super PAC pass-throughs and limited-liability corporate vehicles helped amplify her candidacy while masking the original source of much of the cash. Because many nonprofit and pass-through disclosures lag, the full identit…

Montana Democrat Alani Bankhead Stays in Senate Race as Plant Claims Threaten 1 Key Seat

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Montana Democrat Alani Bankhead Stays in Senate Race as Plant Claims Threaten 1 Key Seat

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