Opinion | Conservative Donors Failed to Show Up in the 2023 Elections

Once critics of the supposedly malign influence of money in politics, the progressive left proved to be big spenders in November’s elections. In four key state races—for Kentucky’s governor, Virginia’s General Assembly, Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court and Ohio’s abortion referendum—left-wing advocacy groups dropped at least $135 million on campaign ads, outspending conservative groups by $42 million.

A few years ago, left-leaning organizations and media outlets warned that conservatives had come to “dominate” state politics and policy. They pointed to Republican victories in state elections and significant policy achievements like the Wisconsin collective-bargaining reform known as Act 10. Those of us working in the trenches on these issues knew better. Government unions and progressive special-interest groups had huge budgets to lobby for larger government.