US Senator Bernie Sanders called for the Democratic Party to ban the involvement of super PACs in primary elections in a letter to Democratic leadership on Sunday.
The letter, shared with Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan and released on the senator's X/Twitter account, called the use of super PACs in political fundraising a form of "corruption."
Super PACs, which have been highly controversial in US politics since their creation following two 2010 Supreme Court rulings, are a type of political action committee that enable the fundraising of unlimited sums of money from individuals and organizations for campaign advertising.
They support either individuals, issues, or industries but are not permitted to coordinate with candidates or their teams.
According to CBS News, Senator Sanders noted in his letter that super PACs have already spent over $517 million during the 2026 midterm election cycle.
Calls for a new constitutional amendment, repeal of Supreme Court ruling
According to CBS News, the letter, addressed to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin, called on Congress to pass a constitutional amendment to repeal the 2010 Supreme Court ruling, Citizens United, which struck down limits on independent political spending, ostensibly creating super PACs in the process.
Sanders believes that even candidates who support super PAC reforms will inevitably continue accepting money from super PACs for use in elections so long as there is benefit to be gained from the arrangement.
"Look, in the world that we live in, until we get rid of Citizens United and get rid of super PACs and move to public funding of elections, that is the reality," said the Vermont Senator. "You can't allow Democratic candidates to be outspent 50 to 1. But it is a corrupt campaign finance system, and Democrats can take charge of what takes place within their own primaries right now. General election can't, but within primaries, Democrats can get super PACs out. That's what they should do."
The letter suggests that the Democratic Party take proactive measures to ban the participation of super PACs in primary elections, a move that would not require legislative action.
"I urge you to take action and make clear that the Democratic Party will no longer maintain this corrupt system," Sanders wrote.
"While there are ideological differences of opinion within the big tent of the party, I would hope that we can all agree that Republican special interests should not play a role in determining the outcome of Democratic primaries. The time to act is now."
AIPAC and party loyalty
In the letter, Sanders made mention of AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which backed Haley Stevens in Michigan during her recent Democratic primary loss against Abdul El-Sayed.
Noting the organization's bipartisan nature, Sanders, who has actively campaigned on behalf of El-Sayed, said that AIPAC is expected to back the Republican nominee, Mike Rogers, in the Senate election.
"What is particularly obscene is not only the outrageous amount of money coming into Democratic primaries from billionaire-funded super PACs, but the reality that these special interests have no particular desire to see Democrats win," wrote Sanders.
"It is absurd that they spend tens of millions of dollars to try to determine who the Democratic nominee is and, if they fail, then proceed to support the Republican candidate in the general election.
"That is not democracy. That is not what Democratic voters want."
He wrote that "AIPAC is not the only super PAC or outside organization playing this role. Corporate super PACs - including crypto, AI and online betting special interests - have already... [shattered] the record set in 2024."
In an appearance on Face the Nation, Sanders said, "It doesn't matter that you're a Democrat or a Republican... They [super PACs] will take over the primaries and try to get their point of view through, get their special interests accomplished, regardless of which party. So to me, it is insane that the Democrats would allow somebody to come in, an entity to come in, that will then, if they lose, go into the other party."
Sanders concludes his letter by saying, "While there are ideological differences of opinion within the big tent of the party, I would hope that we can all agree that Republican special interests should not play a role in determining the outcome of Democratic primaries. The time to act is now."