Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to Party Spending Limits

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a major campaign finance case next term that challenges longstanding federal limits on how much political parties can spend in coordination with individual candidates. The case, brought by national Republican senatorial and congressional committees alongside Vice President JD Vance and former Rep. Steve Chabot, argues that these restrictions violate the First Amendment's free speech protections by unfairly limiting party spending and fueling the rise of super PACs. The limits in question, originally established in the 1970s and upheld by courts including the Supreme Court in 2001, restrict coordinated spending to prevent corruption, but the challengers contend they harm political parties' effectiveness and contribute to political polarization. The Trump administration has sided with the challengers, choosing not to defend the current spending restrictions in court. Experts predict the conservative-majority court, influenced by prior rulings like Citizens United, may strike down these limits, potentially reshaping campaign finance law and election dynamics. The case will be argued in the fall term starting in October and could have significant implications for how money flows in federal elections.