In the past couple of days there have been an increasing number of Facebook posts accusing one of the candidates for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Representative from our district (Florida-04) of trying to buy the election. In the interest of “truth in advertising,” I confess that the target of these claims is the candidate I am supporting, Michael Kirwan. I thought I had addressed this issue in my February 4, 2026 blog post, “Project 2026.” At the time I shared my disdain for the current role money plays in politics, but accepted the fact that, post-Citizens United, well-intentioned candidates, without adequate resources to compete, have little or no chance of winning in this environment.
I respect voters who are backing other candidates in the primary, and as I have said, I will vote for whoever wins the Democratic nomination because the prime directive is to oust incumbent Aaron Bean. But the accusation that Kirwan is “buying the election” demonstrates a lack of understanding about the sources of campaign revenue. It is more complicated than it should be, but that is world we live in. So let me try to explain the difference based on categories of donations established by the Federal Elections Commission (FEC).
Each candidate is required to submit a fundraising report at the end of each calendar quarter. Donations are broken down into the following categories:
Individual contributions (limited to $3,500 per election)
Party committee contributions ($5,000)
Other committee contributions ($5,000)
Candidate contributions (unlimited)
Loans Received (unlimited)
The following are the total numbers for the 2025-26 election cycle for each of the Democratic candidates and the incumbent Republican Aaron Bean as of March 31, 2026.
Michael Kirwan for Congress (DEM)
Individual: $393,766.72
Party: $0
Other Committees: $7,000.00
Candidate: $110,927.86
Loans: $0
TOTAL: $511,694.58
Brittney Robinson (DEM)
Individual: $11,155.90
Party: $0
Other Committees: $0
Candidate: $712.90
Loans: $5,038.39
TOTAL: $16,194.29
Ricky Patrick Knoles for Congress (DEM)
Individual: $20.00
Party: $0
Other Committee: $0
Candidate: $0
Loans: $5,000.00
TOTAL: $5,020.00
L.J. Holloway for Congress (DEM)
No Report Filed to Date
Aaron Bean for Congress (REP)
Individual: $553,568.72
Party: $0
Other Committees: $861,150.00
Candidate: $0
Loans: $0
TOTAL: $1,508,938.08
In addition, there is an “Aaron Bean Team” PAC which has raised an additional $146,775.77, including three individual donations of $17,000/individual and four of $10,000/individual.
I will not waste time pointing out the obvious. Rather, I will focus on the two line items: candidate contributions and other committee contributions.
Two of the Democratic candidates who filed the 3/31/26 fundraising reports have made made personal contributions to their campaigns. And one has lent his campaign $5,000. The fact that the amount differs among them is unimportant. Each has demonstrated a willingness to put some “skin the game.” In contrast, Aaron Bean has relied entirely on “other people’s money.”
Only two of the candidates, Kirwan and Bean, have reported other committee funds. Again the difference between amounts, though significant, is not as important as the sources of these donations.
Michael Kirwan for Congress has one identified donor under other committees, “Defeat Extremists.” The FEC describes the PAC this way. “The committee focuses on financial support to oppose candidates deemed extremist, often operating with similar goals to other liberal-leaning PACs aimed at countering MAGA-aligned figures.” In other words, Defeat Extremists thinks, like most of us do, that Aaron Bean, who is clearly aligned with Trump and MAGA needs to be defeated and is supporting the candidate they think is most likely to do that.
In contrast, Aaron Bean for Congress has 399 PACs listed including (name/location):
-
- United Health Group/DC
- Kraft Heinz Company/DC
- Salt River Valley Water/AZ
- Johnson & Johnson/DC
- Cardinal Health/OH
- National Association of Home Builders/DC
- Honeywell/DC
- Bank of America/DC
- Boeing Company/VA
- American Israel Public Affairs Committee/DC
- Comcast Corporation/NBC Universal/NY
- Micron Technology/ID
- ETC, ETC, ETC
[NOTE: PACs that list their location as DC tend to be well-heeled, registered lobbyists whose sole purpose is to influence legislation and policy consistent with their respective corporate interests For example, in the 2025-26 election cycle, United Health has already dispersed $1,5 million dollars with $1.32 million in cash still on hand.]
I ask NE Florida voters to consider how many of the above organizations have appeared in news stories related to pressing national issues such as healthcare, media control, affordable housing, inflation and foreign policy. And there is a reason for that. Yes, money distorts democracy as envisioned by the nation’s founders. However, to suggest that all campaign money is the same, regardless of source, is disinformation that clouds the more important distinction between special interests and advocates of democracy and good government. As is usually the case, “the devil is in the details.”
For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP (alias Jay Kayne)