2023 Election Impact

Key State Races

While CaPA has previously prioritized grantmaking in even years with critical congressional, senate and presidential races, in 2023 we expanded our federal focus to support critical state races. CaPA granted $1.14 million and advised an additional $1.45 million to support grassroots organizations in key states, investing in field programs led by organizations that are both electorally focused and those with a broad range of missions that were engaging voters. These groups, which are often overlooked by national donors, connected with suburban and rural voters, held virtual candidate forums, and recruited talented organizers to make calls and knock doors on behalf of candidates. 

In Virginia, CaPA’s strategic investments helped power Democrats’ victories in the State Senate and House, avoiding a Republican trifecta. In Pennsylvania, CaPA’s support contributed to Democrat Daniel McCaffery’s defeat of Republican Carolyn Carluccio to win a spot on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, preserving a strong Democratic majority in an election with record-breaking spending. We also prioritized funding in “uncrowded spaces” where the stakes were high but national attention and funding was low, such as Louisiana, where groups came very close to breaking the Republican supermajority in the State House.