34:["$","title",null,{"children":"Do Corporate PACs Give to Both Parties? A Look at the 2024 U.S. House Races | Sarah Bethea | Observable"}] 3c:T27ac,finalSelectedPacNetwork = { const colors = {DEM: "#041b94", REP: "#B80f0A"}; const partyNames = {DEM: "Democrat", REP: "Republican"}; const statuses = ["Incumbent", "Challenger"]; const pacInput = Inputs.select(pacOptions, { label: "Corporate PACs", multiple: 6, value: defaultPacsV4, format: d => d.name }); const sharedInput = Inputs.toggle({ label: "Shared recipients only", value: false }); const legend = html`

Democrat
Republican
Incumbent
Challenger

`; const count = html`

`; const detail = html`

`; const chart = html`

`; const panel = html`

Who did these corporate PACs support?

Explore corporate PAC contributions to U.S. House candidates in the 2024 election cycle. Incumbents are on the left and challengers are on the right.

${pacInput}

Select one to five PACs. Use Ctrl or ⌘ to select items individually, or Shift to select a range.

${sharedInput}

Show only candidates who received contributions from at least two of the selected PACs.

${legend}

Each link connects a PAC to a candidate it supported. Larger symbols mean more of the selected PACs supported that candidate.

${count} ${detail} ${chart}

`; // Let long PAC names use the available space inside the control panel. const select = pacInput.querySelector("select"); if (select) { select.style.width = "100%"; select.style.minWidth = "0"; } function render() { const selected = pacInput.value; const sharedOnly = sharedInput.value; chart.replaceChildren(); detail.textContent = ""; count.textContent = ""; if (selected.length < 1 || selected.length > 5) { detail.textContent = "Select one to five PACs to draw the network."; return; } const selectedIds = new Set(selected.map(d => d.id)); const rows = edges.filter(d => selectedIds.has(d.pac_id)); const candidates = d3.rollups( rows, records => ({ ...records[0], donorIds: new Set(records.map(d => d.pac_id)) }), d => d.candidate_id ) .map(([, candidate]) => candidate) .filter(d => !sharedOnly || d.donorIds.size >= 2); if (!candidates.length) { detail.textContent = sharedOnly ? "No candidates received support from at least two selected PACs." : "No qualifying candidates for these PACs."; return; } const sides = statuses.map((status, i) => ({ status, x: i === 0 ? 115 : 805, candidates: candidates.filter(d => d.candidate_status === status) .sort((a, b) => d3.ascending(a.party, b.party) || d3.descending(a.donorIds.size, b.donorIds.size) || d3.ascending(a.candidate_name, b.candidate_name) ) })); const columns = 7; const spacing = 22; const gridRows = d3.max(sides, d => Math.ceil(d.candidates.length / columns)); const height = Math.max(280, 100 + gridRows * spacing); const pacY = d3.scalePoint(selected.map(d => d.id), [65, height - 40]) .padding(0.5); const pacs = selected.map(d => ({...d, x: 460, y: pacY(d.id)})); const pacById = new Map(pacs.map(d => [d.id, d])); const nodes = sides.flatMap(side => side.candidates.map((d, i) => ({ ...d, x: side.x + (i % columns - (columns - 1) / 2) * spacing, y: 68 + Math.floor(i / columns) * spacing }))); const links = nodes.flatMap(target => Array.from(target.donorIds, id => ({source: pacById.get(id), target})) ); count.textContent = `${pacs.length} selected PACs · ${nodes.length} candidates shown · ` + `${links.length} connections`; const instructions = "Hover or tab to a candidate for details. Click a PAC to pin its connections."; detail.textContent = instructions; const svg = d3.select(chart).append("svg") .attr("viewBox", [0, 0, 920, height]) .attr("width", "100%") .attr("aria-label", "PAC contributions to incumbents and challengers") .style("display", "block") .style("min-width", "560px"); svg.append("g").selectAll("text") .data([ ...sides.map(d => ({ x: d.x, label: `${d.status}s (${d.candidates.length})` })), {x: 460, label: "Selected PACs"} ]) .join("text") .attr("x", d => d.x) .attr("y", 28) .attr("text-anchor", "middle") .attr("font-weight", 700) .attr("fill", "currentColor") .text(d => d.label); const paths = svg.append("g").selectAll("path") .data(links) .join("path") .attr("d", d3.linkHorizontal().x(d => d.x).y(d => d.y)) .attr("fill", "none") .attr("stroke", d => colors[d.target.party]) .attr("stroke-opacity", 0.22) .attr("pointer-events", "none"); const symbol = d3.symbol() .type(d => d.candidate_status === "Incumbent" ? d3.symbolCircle : d3.symbolDiamond) .size(d => 32 + d.donorIds.size * 18); const describe = d => `${d.candidate_name} · ${partyNames[d.party]} · ` + `${d.candidate_status} · ${d.state}-${d.district}`; const candidateMarks = svg.append("g").selectAll("g") .data(nodes) .join("g") .attr("transform", d => `translate(${d.x},${d.y})`) .attr("tabindex", 0) .attr("aria-label", describe) .style("cursor", "help"); candidateMarks.append("circle") .attr("r", 10) .attr("fill", "transparent") .attr("pointer-events", "all"); candidateMarks.append("path") .attr("d", symbol) .attr("fill", d => colors[d.party]) .attr("pointer-events", "none"); candidateMarks.append("title").text(describe); const pacMarks = svg.append("g").selectAll("g") .data(pacs) .join("g") .attr("transform", d => `translate(${d.x},${d.y})`) .attr("tabindex", 0) .attr("role", "button") .attr("aria-pressed", "false") .attr("aria-label", d => d.name) .style("cursor", "pointer"); pacMarks.append("rect") .attr("x", -122) .attr("y", -15) .attr("width", 244) .attr("height", 30) .attr("rx", 6) .attr("fill", "#202b39"); pacMarks.append("text") .attr("y", 4) .attr("text-anchor", "middle") .attr("font-size", 11) .attr("fill", "white") .text(d => d.name.length > 34 ? `${d.name.slice(0, 33)}…` : d.name); pacMarks.append("title").text(d => d.name); let pinned = null; function highlight(pac = pinned, candidate = null) { const active = Boolean(pac || candidate); const matches = d => candidate ? d.target === candidate : d.source === pac; paths .attr("stroke-opacity", d => active ? (matches(d) ? 0.9 : 0.035) : 0.22) .attr("stroke-width", d => active && matches(d) ? 2 : 1); if (active) paths.filter(matches).raise(); candidateMarks.attr("opacity", d => { if (candidate) return d === candidate ? 1 : 0.28; return !pac || d.donorIds.has(pac.id) ? 1 : 0.28; }); pacMarks .attr("aria-pressed", d => String(d === pinned)) .attr("opacity", d => { if (candidate) return candidate.donorIds.has(d.id) ? 1 : 0.35; return !pac || d === pac ? 1 : 0.35; }); if (candidate) { const donors = Array.from(candidate.donorIds, id => pacById.get(id).name); detail.textContent = `${describe(candidate)} · Selected donors: ${donors.join("; ")}`; } else if (pac) { const counts = d3.rollup( nodes.filter(d => d.donorIds.has(pac.id)), group => group.length, d => d.candidate_status, d => d.party ); const splits = statuses.map(status => { const parties = counts.get(status); return `${status}s: ${parties?.get("DEM") ?? 0} D / ${parties?.get("REP") ?? 0} R`; }); detail.textContent = `${pac.name} · ${splits.join(" · ")}` + (sharedOnly ? " · Shared recipients shown" : "") + (pac === pinned ? " · Pinned" : ""); } else { detail.textContent = instructions; } } function togglePin(pac) { pinned = pinned === pac ? null : pac; highlight(); } candidateMarks .on("pointerenter focus", (_, d) => highlight(null, d)) .on("pointerleave blur", () => highlight()); pacMarks .on("pointerenter focus", (_, d) => highlight(d)) .on("pointerleave blur", () => highlight()) .on("click", (_, d) => togglePin(d)) .on("keydown", (event, d) => { if (event.key === "Enter" || event.key === " ") { event.preventDefault(); togglePin(d); } }); } pacInput.addEventListener("input", render); sharedInput.addEventListener("input", render); render(); return panel; }3d:T1d41,pacNetworkV7 = { const ranked = rankedPacsV6.slice(0, pacLimitV6); if (!ranked.length) return "No qualifying PACs."; const selectedIds = new Set(ranked.map(d => d.id)); const rows = edges.filter(d => selectedIds.has(d.pac_id)); const colors = {DEM: "#041b94", REP: "#B80f0A"}; const partyNames = {DEM: "Democrat", REP: "Republican"}; const candidates = d3.rollups( rows, records => ({ ...records[0], donors: new Set(records.map(d => d.pac_id)) }), d => d.candidate_id ).map(([, candidate]) => candidate); const sides = [ {status: "Incumbent", label: "Incumbents", x: 132}, {status: "Challenger", label: "Challengers", x: 788} ].map(side => ({ ...side, candidates: candidates .filter(d => d.candidate_status === side.status) .sort((a, b) => d3.ascending(a.party, b.party) || d3.descending(a.donors.size, b.donors.size) || d3.ascending(a.candidate_name, b.candidate_name) ) })); const columns = 10; const spacing = 19; const gridRows = d3.max(sides, d => Math.ceil(d.candidates.length / columns)); const height = Math.max(360, 90 + ranked.length * 28, 90 + gridRows * spacing); const pacY = d3.scalePoint(ranked.map(d => d.id), [65, height - 25]); const pacs = ranked.map((d, i) => ({ ...d, rank: i + 1, x: 460, y: pacY(d.id) })); const pacById = new Map(pacs.map(d => [d.id, d])); const nodes = sides.flatMap(side => side.candidates.map((d, i) => ({ ...d, x: side.x + (i % columns - (columns - 1) / 2) * spacing, y: 62 + Math.floor(i / columns) * spacing }))); const links = nodes.flatMap(target => Array.from( target.donors, id => ({source: pacById.get(id), target}) )); const panel = d3.create("div") .style("max-width", "960px") .style("font", "14px system-ui"); panel.append("h3").text(`Giving networks of the top ${ranked.length} PACs`); panel.append("p").text( `${nodes.length} distinct candidates · ${links.length} PAC–candidate connections. ` + "Blue = Democrat · Red = Republican · Circle = incumbent · Diamond = challenger. " + "Larger symbols show support from more of the PACs displayed." ); const instructions = "Hover over or tab to a candidate to see their name and donors. " + "Hover over a PAC to see its party split, or click it to pin its links."; const detail = panel.append("p") .style("min-height", "3em") .attr("aria-live", "polite") .text(instructions); const svg = panel.append("svg") .attr("viewBox", [0, 0, 920, height]) .attr("width", "100%") .style("display", "block") .attr("aria-label", "Donation network with incumbents on the left and challengers on the right"); svg.append("g").selectAll("text") .data([ ...sides.map(d => ({x: d.x, text: `${d.label} (${d.candidates.length})`})), {x: 460, text: "PACs ranked by candidates supported"} ]) .join("text") .attr("x", d => d.x) .attr("y", 24) .attr("text-anchor", "middle") .attr("fill", "currentColor") .attr("font-weight", 700) .text(d => d.text); const paths = svg.append("g").selectAll("path") .data(links) .join("path") .attr("d", d3.linkHorizontal().x(d => d.x).y(d => d.y)) .attr("fill", "none") .attr("stroke", d => colors[d.target.party]) .attr("stroke-opacity", 0.12) .attr("pointer-events", "none"); const symbol = d3.symbol() .type(d => d.candidate_status === "Incumbent" ? d3.symbolCircle : d3.symbolDiamond) .size(d => 24 + 4 * d.donors.size); const candidateMarks = svg.append("g").selectAll("g") .data(nodes) .join("g") .attr("transform", d => `translate(${d.x},${d.y})`) .attr("tabindex", 0) .attr("aria-label", d => `${d.candidate_name}, ${partyNames[d.party]}, ${d.candidate_status}, ${d.state}-${d.district}` ) .style("cursor", "help"); // Give each symbol a larger hover target without changing its visible size. candidateMarks.append("circle") .attr("r", 9) .attr("fill", "transparent") .attr("pointer-events", "all"); candidateMarks.append("path") .attr("d", symbol) .attr("fill", d => colors[d.party]) .attr("pointer-events", "none"); candidateMarks.append("title").text(d => d.candidate_name); const pacMarks = svg.append("g").selectAll("g") .data(pacs) .join("g") .attr("transform", d => `translate(${d.x},${d.y})`) .attr("tabindex", 0) .attr("role", "button") .attr("aria-label", d => `${d.rank}. ${d.name}, ${d.count} recipients`) .attr("aria-pressed", "false") .style("cursor", "pointer"); pacMarks.append("rect") .attr("x", -138) .attr("y", -11) .attr("width", 276) .attr("height", 22) .attr("rx", 4) .attr("fill", "#263445"); pacMarks.append("text") .attr("y", 4) .attr("text-anchor", "middle") .attr("font-size", 11) .attr("fill", "white") .text(d => { const name = d.name.length > 32 ? `${d.name.slice(0, 31)}…` : d.name; return `${d.rank}. ${name} (${d.count})`; }); pacMarks.append("title").text(d => d.name); let pinned = null; function highlight(pac = pinned, candidate = null) { const active = Boolean(pac || candidate); const matches = link => candidate ? link.target === candidate : link.source === pac; paths .attr("stroke-opacity", d => active ? (matches(d) ? 0.95 : 0.015) : 0.12) .attr("stroke-width", d => active && matches(d) ? 1.8 : 1); if (active) paths.filter(matches).raise(); candidateMarks.attr("opacity", d => { if (candidate) return d === candidate ? 1 : 0.2; return !pac || d.donors.has(pac.id) ? 1 : 0.2; }); pacMarks .attr("aria-pressed", d => String(d === pinned)) .attr("opacity", d => { if (candidate) return candidate.donors.has(d.id) ? 1 : 0.45; return !pac || d === pac ? 1 : 0.45; }); if (candidate) { const donors = Array.from(candidate.donors, id => pacById.get(id).name); detail.text( `${candidate.candidate_name} · ${partyNames[candidate.party]} · ` + `${candidate.candidate_status} · ${candidate.state}-${candidate.district} · ` + `Displayed donors (${donors.length}): ${donors.join("; ")}` ); return; } if (!pac) { detail.text(instructions); return; } const counts = d3.rollup( nodes.filter(d => d.donors.has(pac.id)), group => group.length, d => d.candidate_status, d => d.party ); const split = status => { const partyCounts = counts.get(status); return `${partyCounts?.get("DEM") ?? 0} D / ${partyCounts?.get("REP") ?? 0} R`; }; detail.text( `${pac.name} · Incumbents (${split("Incumbent")}) · ` + `Challengers (${split("Challenger")})` + (pac === pinned ? " · pinned" : "") ); } function togglePin(pac) { pinned = pinned === pac ? null : pac; highlight(); } candidateMarks .on("pointerenter focus", (_, d) => highlight(null, d)) .on("pointerleave blur", () => highlight()); pacMarks .on("pointerenter focus", (_, d) => highlight(d)) .on("pointerleave blur", () => highlight()) .on("click", (_, d) => togglePin(d)) .on("keydown", (event, d) => { if (event.key === "Enter" || event.key === " ") { event.preventDefault(); togglePin(d); } }); return panel.node(); }3e:T1b4a,finalGivingChartsV2 = { const purple = "#633A8E"; const slate = "#82919D"; const blue = "#041B94"; const red = "#B80F0A"; const barThickness = 16; const gap = 20; const fullWidth = Math.min(width, 1000); const sideBySide = fullWidth >= 760; const summaryWidth = sideBySide ? Math.floor((fullWidth - gap) / 2) : fullWidth; const partyGroups = ["Both parties", "Democrats only", "Republicans only"]; const partyScale = { type: "ordinal", domain: partyGroups, range: [slate, blue, red] }; function countAxis(max, label) { return { label, domain: [0, Math.max(1, max)], nice: true, ticks: 4, tickFormat: "d", grid: true }; } function summaryChart(data, {x, label, domain, axis, marginLeft}) { return Plot.plot({ width: summaryWidth, height: 155, marginLeft, marginRight: 76, marginTop: 8, marginBottom: 40, x: axis, y: {domain, label: null}, marks: [ Plot.ruleX([0], {stroke: "#a3a3a3"}), Plot.ruleY(data.filter(d => x(d) > 0), { y: "label", x1: 0, x2: x, stroke: slate, strokeWidth: barThickness }), Plot.text(data, { y: "label", x, text: label, dx: 6, textAnchor: "start" }) ] }); } const rateData = givingSummary.map(d => ({ ...d, label: d.status === "Incumbent" ? "Incumbents" : "Challengers" })); const rates = summaryChart(rateData, { x: d => d.share ?? 0, label: d => d.total ? d3.format(".1%")(d.share) : "No data", domain: ["Incumbents", "Challengers"], axis: { label: "Share of PACs giving to both parties", domain: [0, 1], ticks: [0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1], tickFormat: ".0%", grid: true }, marginLeft: 91 }); const districtPatterns = ["Incumbent only", "Challenger only", "Both"]; const districtCounts = d3.rollup( pacDistrictGiving, rows => rows.length, d => d.pattern ); const districtData = districtPatterns.map(label => ({ label, count: districtCounts.get(label) ?? 0 })); const districts = summaryChart(districtData, { x: d => d.count, label: d => d3.format(",d")(d.count), domain: districtPatterns, axis: countAxis( d3.max(districtData, d => d.count), "Number of PAC–district pairs" ), marginLeft: 105 }); const patterns = ["More incumbents", "Equal numbers", "More challengers"]; const pacs = []; for (const rows of d3.group(edges, d => d.pac_id).values()) { const recipients = Array.from( d3.group(rows, d => d.candidate_id).values(), records => records[0] ); if (recipients.length < 2) continue; const incumbents = recipients.filter( d => d.candidate_status === "Incumbent" ).length; const challengers = recipients.filter( d => d.candidate_status === "Challenger" ).length; let pattern = "Equal numbers"; if (incumbents > challengers) pattern = "More incumbents"; if (challengers > incumbents) pattern = "More challengers"; const parties = new Set(recipients.map(d => d.party)); let partyGroup = "Both parties"; if (!parties.has("REP")) partyGroup = "Democrats only"; if (!parties.has("DEM")) partyGroup = "Republicans only"; pacs.push({pattern, partyGroup}); } const counts = d3.rollup( pacs, rows => rows.length, d => d.pattern, d => d.partyGroup ); const segments = []; const totals = []; for (const pattern of patterns) { let start = 0; for (const partyGroup of partyGroups) { const count = counts.get(pattern)?.get(partyGroup) ?? 0; const end = start + count; if (count) segments.push({pattern, partyGroup, count, start, end}); start = end; } totals.push({pattern, total: start}); } function stackedPanel(groups) { const visibleTotals = totals.filter(d => groups.includes(d.pattern)); const visibleSegments = segments.filter(d => groups.includes(d.pattern)); return Plot.plot({ width: fullWidth, height: 62 + groups.length * 30, marginLeft: 125, marginRight: 55, marginTop: 8, marginBottom: 40, x: countAxis(d3.max(visibleTotals, d => d.total), "Number of PACs"), y: {domain: groups, label: null}, color: partyScale, marks: [ Plot.ruleX([0], {stroke: "#a3a3a3"}), Plot.ruleY(visibleSegments, { y: "pattern", x1: "start", x2: "end", stroke: "partyGroup", strokeWidth: barThickness, title: d => `${d.pattern} · ${d.partyGroup}\n${d.count} PACs` }), Plot.text(visibleTotals, { x: "total", y: "pattern", text: d => d3.format(",d")(d.total), dx: 6, textAnchor: "start" }) ] }); } const matching = counts.get("More incumbents")?.get("Both parties") ?? 0; const result = pacs.length ? `${matching} of ${pacs.length} PACs (${d3.format(".1%")(matching / pacs.length)}) supported more incumbents than challengers and gave to both parties.` : "No PACs supported at least two distinct candidates."; const breakdown = totals.map(({pattern, total}) => ({ "Giving pattern": pattern, "Both parties": counts.get(pattern)?.get("Both parties") ?? 0, "Democrats only": counts.get(pattern)?.get("Democrats only") ?? 0, "Republicans only": counts.get(pattern)?.get("Republicans only") ?? 0, "Total": total })); return html`

Bipartisan giving by candidate status

Among PACs that supported at least one candidate in each group, the share that gave to both parties within that group.

${rates}

PAC giving within the same House district

Each bar counts PAC–district pairs. Included districts had both an incumbent and a challenger represented in the data.

${districts}

Did PACs support more incumbents and give to both parties?

${result}

2024 U.S. House cycle. Includes corporate PACs that supported at least two distinct candidates.

${Plot.legend({color: partyScale})} ${stackedPanel(patterns)}

Closer look at the two smaller groups

The count axis is zoomed in to show the party breakdown.

${stackedPanel(["Equal numbers", "More challengers"])}

Exact counts by party and giving pattern

${Inputs.table(breakdown, {rows: 3})}

`; }3f:T9d7,pacNetwork = { if (!selectedPac) return "No PACs found."; const rows = edges.filter(d => d.pac_id === selectedPac.id); const groups = d3.group(rows, d => d.candidate_status, d => d.party); const statuses = ["Incumbent", "Challenger"]; const parties = ["DEM", "REP"]; const color = {DEM: "#2468b3", REP: "#bb4141"}; const center = {x: 360, y: 205}; const svg = d3.create("svg") .attr("viewBox", [0, 0, 720, 390]) .attr("role", "img") .attr("aria-label", `Donation network for ${selectedPac.name}`) .style("font", "14px system-ui"); const candidates = statuses.flatMap((status, i) => parties.flatMap((party, j) => { const recipients = groups.get(status)?.get(party) ?? []; const x = j === 0 ? 145 : 575; const y = 75 + i * 155; const columns = Math.max(1, Math.ceil(recipients.length / 10)); svg.append("text") .attr("x", x) .attr("y", y - 20) .attr("text-anchor", "middle") .attr("fill", color[party]) .text(`${party === "DEM" ? "Democrats" : "Republicans"} · ${recipients.length}`); return recipients.map((d, k) => ({ ...d, x: x + ((k % columns) - (columns - 1) / 2) * Math.min(12, 220 / columns), y: y + Math.floor(k / columns) * 11 })); }) ); svg.selectAll("text.status") .data(statuses) .join("text") .attr("x", center.x) .attr("y", (_, i) => 55 + i * 155) .attr("text-anchor", "middle") .attr("fill", "currentColor") .attr("font-weight", "bold") .text(d => `${d}s`); const links = svg.append("g").selectAll("line") .data(candidates) .join("line") .attr("x1", center.x) .attr("y1", center.y) .attr("x2", d => d.x) .attr("y2", d => d.y) .attr("stroke", d => color[d.party]) .attr("stroke-opacity", 0.22); svg.append("g").selectAll("circle") .data(candidates) .join("circle") .attr("cx", d => d.x) .attr("cy", d => d.y) .attr("r", 4) .attr("fill", d => color[d.party]) .on("pointerenter", (_, candidate) => { links.attr("stroke-opacity", d => d === candidate ? 1 : 0.06); }) .on("pointerleave", () => links.attr("stroke-opacity", 0.22)) .append("title") .text(d => `${d.candidate_name} (${d.party}, ${d.state}-${d.district})`); svg.append("circle") .attr("cx", center.x) .attr("cy", center.y) .attr("r", 9) .attr("fill", "currentColor") .append("title") .text(selectedPac.name); return svg.node(); }40:Te4d,pacNetworkV2 = { if (!selectedPac) return "No PAC selected."; const rows = edges.filter(d => d.pac_id === selectedPacV2.id); const groups = d3.group(rows, d => d.candidate_status, d => d.party); const parties = [ {code: "DEM", label: "Democrats", color: "#2468b3", x: 125}, {code: "REP", label: "Republicans", color: "#bb4141", x: 595} ]; const container = d3.create("div") .style("max-width", "800px") .style("font", "14px system-ui"); container.append("h3").text(selectedPacV2.name); container.append("p") .text("Each colored dot is a candidate. Each line shows at least one reported contribution. Hover over a dot for the candidate’s name and district."); for (const status of ["Incumbent", "Challenger"]) { const panel = container.append("section") .style("border", "1px solid #b8bec6") .style("border-radius", "8px") .style("padding", "12px 16px") .style("margin", "12px 0"); panel.append("h4") .style("margin", "0 0 8px") .text(`${status}s`); const recipients = parties.map(party => ({ ...party, candidates: groups.get(status)?.get(party.code) ?? [] })); if (recipients.every(party => party.candidates.length === 0)) { panel.append("p") .style("margin", "0") .text(`No ${status.toLowerCase()} recipients in this dataset.`); continue; } const columns = 12; const gridRows = d3.max( recipients, party => Math.ceil(party.candidates.length / columns) ); const height = Math.max(112, 58 + gridRows * 13); const center = {x: 360, y: height / 2}; const svg = panel.append("svg") .attr("viewBox", [0, 0, 720, height]) .attr("width", "100%") .style("display", "block") .attr("role", "img") .attr("aria-label", `${status} recipients for ${selectedPacV2.name}`); const nodes = recipients.flatMap(party => { svg.append("text") .attr("x", party.x) .attr("y", 22) .attr("text-anchor", "middle") .attr("fill", party.color) .attr("font-weight", "bold") .text(`${party.label} (${party.candidates.length})`); return party.candidates.map((candidate, i) => { const row = Math.floor(i / columns); const rowSize = Math.min(columns, party.candidates.length - row * columns); return { candidate, color: party.color, x: party.x + (i % columns - (rowSize - 1) / 2) * 13, y: 48 + row * 13 }; }); }); const links = svg.append("g").selectAll("line") .data(nodes) .join("line") .attr("x1", center.x) .attr("y1", center.y) .attr("x2", d => d.x) .attr("y2", d => d.y) .attr("stroke", d => d.color) .attr("stroke-opacity", 0.25); svg.append("g").selectAll("circle") .data(nodes) .join("circle") .attr("cx", d => d.x) .attr("cy", d => d.y) .attr("r", 4.5) .attr("fill", d => d.color) .on("pointerenter", (_, node) => { links.attr("stroke-opacity", d => d === node ? 1 : 0.06); }) .on("pointerleave", () => links.attr("stroke-opacity", 0.25)) .append("title") .text(({candidate: d}) => `${d.candidate_name} (${d.state}-${d.district})`); svg.append("circle") .attr("cx", center.x) .attr("cy", center.y) .attr("r", 8) .attr("fill", "currentColor"); svg.append("text") .attr("x", center.x) .attr("y", center.y + 26) .attr("text-anchor", "middle") .attr("fill", "currentColor") .text("Selected PAC"); } return container.node(); }41:Tea6,pacNetworkV3 = { if (!selectedPacV3) return "No PAC selected."; const rows = edges.filter(d => d.pac_id === selectedPacV3.id); const parties = [ {code: "DEM", label: "Democrats", color: "#2468b3", x: 150}, {code: "REP", label: "Republicans", color: "#bb4141", x: 570} ].map(party => ({ ...party, recipients: rows.filter(d => d.party === party.code) .sort((a, b) => d3.ascending(a.candidate_name, b.candidate_name)) })); const columns = 11; const gridRows = d3.max(parties, p => Math.ceil(p.recipients.length / columns)); const height = Math.max(180, 110 + gridRows * 16); const center = {x: 360, y: height / 2}; const container = d3.create("div") .style("max-width", "800px") .style("font", "14px system-ui"); container.append("h3").text(selectedPacV3.name); container.append("p") .text("● Incumbent · ◆ Challenger. Each line represents a PAC–candidate connection."); const detail = container.append("p") .attr("aria-live", "polite") .text("Hover over or tab to a candidate for details."); const svg = container.append("svg") .attr("viewBox", [0, 0, 720, height]) .attr("width", "100%") .attr("aria-label", "PAC contribution network by party and candidate status"); const nodes = parties.flatMap(party => { const incumbents = party.recipients.filter( d => d.candidate_status === "Incumbent" ).length; svg.append("text") .attr("x", party.x) .attr("y", 24) .attr("text-anchor", "middle") .attr("font-weight", "bold") .attr("fill", party.color) .text(`${party.label} (${party.recipients.length})`); svg.append("text") .attr("x", party.x) .attr("y", 46) .attr("text-anchor", "middle") .attr("fill", "currentColor") .attr("font-size", 12) .text(`${incumbents} incumbents · ${party.recipients.length - incumbents} challengers`); const rowCount = Math.ceil(party.recipients.length / columns); return party.recipients.map((d, i) => { const row = Math.floor(i / columns); const rowSize = Math.min(columns, party.recipients.length - row * columns); return { ...d, color: party.color, x: party.x + (i % columns - (rowSize - 1) / 2) * 16, y: center.y + (row - (rowCount - 1) / 2) * 16 }; }); }); const links = svg.append("g").selectAll("line") .data(nodes) .join("line") .attr("x1", center.x) .attr("y1", center.y) .attr("x2", d => d.x) .attr("y2", d => d.y) .attr("stroke", d => d.color) .attr("stroke-opacity", 0.2); const symbol = d3.symbol() .type(d => d.candidate_status === "Incumbent" ? d3.symbolCircle : d3.symbolDiamond) .size(68); const describe = d => `${d.candidate_name} · ${d.party} · ${d.candidate_status} · ${d.state}-${d.district}`; svg.append("g").selectAll("path") .data(nodes) .join("path") .attr("d", symbol) .attr("transform", d => `translate(${d.x},${d.y})`) .attr("fill", d => d.color) .attr("tabindex", 0) .attr("aria-label", describe) .on("pointerenter focus", (_, node) => { links.attr("stroke-opacity", d => d === node ? 1 : 0.04); detail.text(describe(node)); }) .on("pointerleave blur", () => { links.attr("stroke-opacity", 0.2); detail.text("Hover over or tab to a candidate for details."); }); svg.append("circle") .attr("cx", center.x) .attr("cy", center.y) .attr("r", 9) .attr("fill", "currentColor"); svg.append("text") .attr("x", center.x) .attr("y", center.y + 30) .attr("text-anchor", "middle") .attr("fill", "currentColor") .text("Selected PAC"); return container.node(); }42:T1aaa,pacNetworkV4 = { if (!selectedPacsV4.length) return "Select at least one corporate PAC."; if (selectedPacsV4.length > 5) return "Select up to five PACs to keep the network readable."; const selectedIds = new Set(selectedPacsV4.map(d => d.id)); const rows = edges.filter(d => selectedIds.has(d.pac_id)); const color = {DEM: "#2468b3", REP: "#bb4141"}; const candidates = Array.from( d3.group(rows, d => d.candidate_id), ([id, donations]) => ({ ...donations[0], id, pacIds: [...new Set(donations.map(d => d.pac_id))] }) ).filter(d => !sharedOnlyV4 || d.pacIds.length >= 2); const panel = d3.create("div") .style("font", "14px system-ui") .style("max-width", "920px"); panel.append("h3").text("Who do corporate PACs support?"); panel.append("p").text( "Blue = Democrat · Red = Republican · Circle = incumbent · Diamond = challenger. " + "Larger symbols indicate support from more of the selected PACs." ); if (!candidates.length) { panel.append("p").text( "No candidates received contributions from at least two of these PACs." ); return panel.node(); } const instructions = "Hover or tab to trace connections. Click a PAC to pin its links."; const detail = panel.append("p") .style("min-height", "2.5em") .attr("aria-live", "polite") .text(instructions); const parties = [ {code: "DEM", name: "Democratic candidates", x: 105}, {code: "REP", name: "Republican candidates", x: 815} ].map(party => ({ ...party, nodes: candidates.filter(d => d.party === party.code) .sort((a, b) => d3.descending(a.pacIds.length, b.pacIds.length) || d3.ascending(a.candidate_name, b.candidate_name) ) })); const columns = 7; const spacing = 22; const gridRows = d3.max(parties, d => Math.ceil(d.nodes.length / columns)); const height = Math.max(280, 100 + gridRows * spacing); const pacY = d3.scalePoint( selectedPacsV4.map(d => d.id), [72, height - 50] ).padding(0.5); const pacs = selectedPacsV4.map(d => ({...d, x: 460, y: pacY(d.id)})); const pacById = new Map(pacs.map(d => [d.id, d])); const svg = panel.append("svg") .attr("viewBox", [0, 0, 920, height]) .attr("width", "100%") .style("display", "block") .attr("aria-label", "Corporate PAC network with candidates grouped by party"); const headings = [ ...parties.map(p => ({ x: p.x, color: color[p.code], label: `${p.name} (${p.nodes.length})` })), {x: 460, color: "currentColor", label: "Selected PACs"} ]; svg.append("g").selectAll("text") .data(headings) .join("text") .attr("x", d => d.x) .attr("y", 28) .attr("text-anchor", "middle") .attr("font-weight", 700) .attr("fill", d => d.color) .text(d => d.label); const nodes = parties.flatMap(party => party.nodes.map((d, i) => ({ ...d, x: party.x + (i % columns - (columns - 1) / 2) * spacing, y: 68 + Math.floor(i / columns) * spacing }))); const links = nodes.flatMap(candidate => candidate.pacIds.map(id => ({ source: pacById.get(id), target: candidate }))); const paths = svg.append("g").selectAll("path") .data(links) .join("path") .attr("d", d3.linkHorizontal().x(d => d.x).y(d => d.y)) .attr("fill", "none") .attr("stroke", d => color[d.target.party]) .attr("stroke-width", 1.2) .attr("stroke-opacity", 0.22); const symbol = d3.symbol() .type(d => d.candidate_status === "Incumbent" ? d3.symbolCircle : d3.symbolDiamond) .size(d => 32 + d.pacIds.length * 18); const candidateMarks = svg.append("g").selectAll("path") .data(nodes) .join("path") .attr("d", symbol) .attr("transform", d => `translate(${d.x},${d.y})`) .attr("fill", d => color[d.party]) .attr("tabindex", 0) .attr("aria-label", d => `${d.candidate_name}, ${d.candidate_status}`) .style("cursor", "help"); const pacMarks = svg.append("g").selectAll("g") .data(pacs) .join("g") .attr("transform", d => `translate(${d.x},${d.y})`) .attr("tabindex", 0) .attr("role", "button") .attr("aria-pressed", "false") .attr("aria-label", d => d.name) .style("cursor", "pointer"); pacMarks.append("rect") .attr("x", -122) .attr("y", -15) .attr("width", 244) .attr("height", 30) .attr("rx", 6) .attr("fill", "#202b39"); pacMarks.append("text") .attr("y", 4) .attr("text-anchor", "middle") .attr("font-size", 11) .attr("fill", "white") .text(d => d.name.length > 34 ? `${d.name.slice(0, 33)}…` : d.name); pacMarks.append("title").text(d => d.name); let pinnedPac = null; function highlight(pac = pinnedPac, candidate = null) { const active = Boolean(pac || candidate); paths .attr("stroke-opacity", d => { if (!active) return 0.22; return (candidate ? d.target === candidate : d.source === pac) ? 0.9 : 0.035; }) .attr("stroke-width", d => active && (candidate ? d.target === candidate : d.source === pac) ? 2 : 1.2 ); candidateMarks.attr("opacity", d => { if (candidate) return d === candidate ? 1 : 0.28; return !pac || d.pacIds.includes(pac.id) ? 1 : 0.28; }); pacMarks .attr("aria-pressed", d => String(d === pinnedPac)) .attr("opacity", d => { if (candidate) return candidate.pacIds.includes(d.id) ? 1 : 0.35; return !pac || d === pac ? 1 : 0.35; }); if (candidate) { const donors = candidate.pacIds.map(id => pacById.get(id).name).join(", "); detail.text( `${candidate.candidate_name} · ${candidate.party} · ` + `${candidate.candidate_status} · ${candidate.state}-${candidate.district} · ` + `Selected donors: ${donors}` ); } else if (pac) { const connected = nodes.filter(d => d.pacIds.includes(pac.id)); const democrats = connected.filter(d => d.party === "DEM").length; detail.text( `${pac.name} · ${democrats} Democratic and ` + `${connected.length - democrats} Republican recipients shown` + (pac === pinnedPac ? " · pinned" : "") ); } else { detail.text(instructions); } } function togglePin(pac) { pinnedPac = pinnedPac === pac ? null : pac; highlight(); } candidateMarks .on("pointerenter focus", (_, d) => highlight(null, d)) .on("pointerleave blur", () => highlight()); pacMarks .on("pointerenter focus", (_, d) => highlight(d)) .on("pointerleave blur", () => highlight()) .on("click", (_, d) => togglePin(d)) .on("keydown", (event, d) => { if (event.key === "Enter" || event.key === " ") { event.preventDefault(); togglePin(d); } }); return panel.node(); }43:T17d8,pacNetworkV6 = { const ranked = rankedPacsV6.slice(0, pacLimitV6); if (!ranked.length) return "No qualifying PACs."; const selectedIds = new Set(ranked.map(d => d.id)); const rows = edges.filter(d => selectedIds.has(d.pac_id)); const colors = {DEM: "#2468b3", REP: "#bb4141"}; const candidates = d3.rollups( rows, records => ({ ...records[0], donors: new Set(records.map(d => d.pac_id)) }), d => d.candidate_id ).map(([, candidate]) => candidate); const sides = [ {status: "Incumbent", label: "Incumbents", x: 132}, {status: "Challenger", label: "Challengers", x: 788} ].map(side => ({ ...side, candidates: candidates .filter(d => d.candidate_status === side.status) .sort((a, b) => d3.ascending(a.party, b.party) || d3.descending(a.donors.size, b.donors.size) || d3.ascending(a.candidate_name, b.candidate_name) ) })); const columns = 10; const spacing = 19; const height = Math.max( 360, 90 + ranked.length * 28, 90 + d3.max(sides, d => Math.ceil(d.candidates.length / columns)) * spacing ); const pacY = d3.scalePoint(ranked.map(d => d.id), [65, height - 25]); const pacs = ranked.map((d, i) => ({ ...d, rank: i + 1, x: 460, y: pacY(d.id) })); const pacById = new Map(pacs.map(d => [d.id, d])); const nodes = sides.flatMap(side => side.candidates.map((d, i) => ({ ...d, x: side.x + (i % columns - (columns - 1) / 2) * spacing, y: 62 + Math.floor(i / columns) * spacing }))); const links = nodes.flatMap(target => Array.from( target.donors, id => ({source: pacById.get(id), target}) )); const panel = d3.create("div") .style("max-width", "960px") .style("font", "14px system-ui"); panel.append("h3").text(`Giving networks of the top ${ranked.length} PACs`); panel.append("p").text( `${nodes.length} distinct candidates · ${links.length} PAC–candidate connections. ` + "Blue = Democrat · Red = Republican · Circle = incumbent · Diamond = challenger. " + "Larger symbols show support from more of the PACs displayed." ); const instructions = "Hover over or tab to a PAC to see its party split. Click to pin it."; const detail = panel.append("p") .style("min-height", "3em") .attr("aria-live", "polite") .text(instructions); const svg = panel.append("svg") .attr("viewBox", [0, 0, 920, height]) .attr("width", "100%") .attr("aria-label", "Donation network with incumbents left and challengers right"); svg.append("g").selectAll("text") .data([ ...sides.map(d => ({x: d.x, text: `${d.label} (${d.candidates.length})`})), {x: 460, text: "PACs ranked by candidates supported"} ]) .join("text") .attr("x", d => d.x) .attr("y", 24) .attr("text-anchor", "middle") .attr("fill", "currentColor") .attr("font-weight", 700) .text(d => d.text); const linkLayer = svg.append("g"); const paths = linkLayer.selectAll("path") .data(links) .join("path") .attr("d", d3.linkHorizontal().x(d => d.x).y(d => d.y)) .attr("fill", "none") .attr("stroke", d => colors[d.target.party]) .attr("stroke-opacity", 0.12); const symbol = d3.symbol() .type(d => d.candidate_status === "Incumbent" ? d3.symbolCircle : d3.symbolDiamond) .size(d => 24 + 4 * d.donors.size); const marks = svg.append("g").selectAll("path") .data(nodes) .join("path") .attr("d", symbol) .attr("transform", d => `translate(${d.x},${d.y})`) .attr("fill", d => colors[d.party]); marks.append("title").text(d => `${d.candidate_name} · ${d.party} · ${d.candidate_status} · ` + `${d.state}-${d.district} · ${d.donors.size} PACs shown` ); const labels = svg.append("g").selectAll("g") .data(pacs) .join("g") .attr("transform", d => `translate(${d.x},${d.y})`) .attr("tabindex", 0) .attr("role", "button") .attr("aria-label", d => `${d.rank}. ${d.name}, ${d.count} recipients`) .attr("aria-pressed", "false") .style("cursor", "pointer"); labels.append("rect") .attr("x", -138) .attr("y", -11) .attr("width", 276) .attr("height", 22) .attr("rx", 4) .attr("fill", "#263445"); labels.append("text") .attr("y", 4) .attr("text-anchor", "middle") .attr("font-size", 11) .attr("fill", "white") .text(d => { const name = d.name.length > 32 ? `${d.name.slice(0, 31)}…` : d.name; return `${d.rank}. ${name} (${d.count})`; }); labels.append("title").text(d => d.name); let pinned = null; function highlight(pac = pinned) { paths .attr("stroke-opacity", d => !pac ? 0.12 : d.source === pac ? 0.9 : 0.015) .attr("stroke-width", d => d.source === pac ? 1.7 : 1); if (pac) paths.filter(d => d.source === pac).raise(); marks.attr("opacity", d => !pac || d.donors.has(pac.id) ? 1 : 0.2); labels .attr("opacity", d => !pac || d === pac ? 1 : 0.45) .attr("aria-pressed", d => String(d === pinned)); if (!pac) { detail.text(instructions); return; } const counts = d3.rollup( nodes.filter(d => d.donors.has(pac.id)), group => group.length, d => d.candidate_status, d => d.party ); const split = status => { const partyCounts = counts.get(status); const dem = partyCounts?.get("DEM") ?? 0; const rep = partyCounts?.get("REP") ?? 0; return `${dem} D / ${rep} R`; }; detail.text( `${pac.name} · Incumbents (${split("Incumbent")}) · ` + `Challengers (${split("Challenger")})` + (pac === pinned ? " · pinned" : "") ); } function togglePin(pac) { pinned = pinned === pac ? null : pac; highlight(); } labels .on("pointerenter focus", (_, d) => highlight(d)) .on("pointerleave blur", () => highlight()) .on("click", (_, d) => togglePin(d)) .on("keydown", (event, d) => { if (event.key === "Enter" || event.key === " ") { event.preventDefault(); togglePin(d); } }); return panel.node(); }44:T55e,### Critique Putting incumbents on the left and challengers on the right makes it easy to see how much more widely the top 10 PACs supported incumbents. The blue and red links show the party of each recipient, and hovering over a PAC highlights its links so readers can trace its contributions through the network. Seeing individual PACs support both incumbents and challengers made me curious about what happened within the same district. How often did a PAC support an incumbent, a challenger, or both? I also wanted to see whether the pattern I noticed in the top 10 held across the broader dataset: did PACs that supported multiple candidates generally give to more incumbents than challengers and give to both parties? ## Revision 5: Compare giving within districts and across PACs I added two bar charts to answer these questions. The first counts PAC–district pairs in which a PAC supported an incumbent only, a challenger only, or both. If two PACs each gave to both types of candidates in the same district, that counts as two pairs. The stacked bar chart looks at each PAC’s giving across districts. Among PACs that supported at least two distinct candidates, it groups them by whether they supported more incumbents, more challengers, or equal numbers. Each bar shows how many PACs in that group gave to both parties, Democrats only, or Republicans only. 45:Tb9b,pacGivingPatternsChart = { const patterns = ["More incumbents", "Equal numbers", "More challengers"]; const partyGroups = ["Both parties", "Democrats only", "Republicans only"]; const colors = ["#087f73", "#2867ad", "#b64040"]; const pacs = []; for (const rows of d3.group(edges, d => d.pac_id).values()) { const recipients = Array.from( d3.group(rows, d => d.candidate_id).values(), records => records[0] ); if (recipients.length < 2) continue; const incumbents = recipients.filter( d => d.candidate_status === "Incumbent" ).length; const challengers = recipients.filter( d => d.candidate_status === "Challenger" ).length; const pattern = incumbents > challengers ? "More incumbents" : incumbents < challengers ? "More challengers" : "Equal numbers"; const parties = new Set(recipients.map(d => d.party)); const partyGroup = parties.has("DEM") && parties.has("REP") ? "Both parties" : parties.has("DEM") ? "Democrats only" : "Republicans only"; pacs.push({pattern, partyGroup}); } if (!pacs.length) return "No PACs supported at least two distinct candidates."; const counts = d3.rollup( pacs, rows => rows.length, d => d.pattern, d => d.partyGroup ); // Build each stack in legend order and record its total for labeling. const segments = []; const totals = []; for (const pattern of patterns) { let start = 0; for (const partyGroup of partyGroups) { const count = counts.get(pattern)?.get(partyGroup) ?? 0; if (count > 0) { segments.push({pattern, partyGroup, count, start, end: start + count}); } start += count; } totals.push({pattern, total: start}); } const matching = counts.get("More incumbents")?.get("Both parties") ?? 0; const share = d3.format(".1%")(matching / pacs.length); return Plot.plot({ title: "Who did corporate PACs support?", subtitle: `${matching} of ${pacs.length} PACs (${share}) supported more incumbents ` + "than challengers and gave to both parties.", caption: "2024 U.S. House cycle. Includes corporate PACs that supported at least " + "two distinct candidates in the dataset.", height: 250, marginLeft: 135, marginRight: 40, x: { label: "Number of PACs", domain: [0, d3.max(totals, d => d.total) * 1.12], grid: true }, y: {domain: patterns, label: null}, color: {domain: partyGroups, range: colors, legend: true}, marks: [ Plot.barX(segments, { x1: "start", x2: "end", y: "pattern", fill: "partyGroup", title: d => `${d.pattern} · ${d.partyGroup}\n${d.count} PACs` }), Plot.text(totals, { x: "total", y: "pattern", text: d => String(d.total), dx: 6, textAnchor: "start" }), Plot.ruleX([0]) ] }); }46:Teeb,pacGivingPatternsChartV2 = { const patterns = ["More incumbents", "Equal numbers", "More challengers"]; const partyGroups = ["Both parties", "Democrats only", "Republicans only"]; const colors = ["#087f73", "#2867ad", "#b64040"]; const pacs = []; for (const rows of d3.group(edges, d => d.pac_id).values()) { const recipients = Array.from( d3.group(rows, d => d.candidate_id).values(), records => records[0] ); if (recipients.length < 2) continue; const incumbents = recipients.filter( d => d.candidate_status === "Incumbent" ).length; const challengers = recipients.filter( d => d.candidate_status === "Challenger" ).length; let pattern = "Equal numbers"; if (incumbents > challengers) pattern = "More incumbents"; if (challengers > incumbents) pattern = "More challengers"; const parties = new Set(recipients.map(d => d.party)); const partyGroup = parties.size === 2 ? "Both parties" : parties.has("DEM") ? "Democrats only" : "Republicans only"; pacs.push({pattern, partyGroup}); } if (!pacs.length) return "No PACs supported at least two distinct candidates."; const counts = d3.rollup( pacs, rows => rows.length, d => d.pattern, d => d.partyGroup ); const segments = []; const totals = []; for (const pattern of patterns) { let start = 0; for (const partyGroup of partyGroups) { const count = counts.get(pattern)?.get(partyGroup) ?? 0; const end = start + count; if (count > 0) { segments.push({pattern, partyGroup, count, start, end}); } start = end; } totals.push({pattern, total: start}); } const matching = counts.get("More incumbents")?.get("Both parties") ?? 0; const share = d3.format(".1%")(matching / pacs.length); const chartWidth = Math.min(width, 1100); function drawPanel({title, subtitle, categories, height}) { const visibleTotals = totals.filter(d => categories.includes(d.pattern)); const visibleSegments = segments.filter(d => categories.includes(d.pattern)); const maxCount = d3.max(visibleTotals, d => d.total) ?? 0; return Plot.plot({ title, subtitle, width: chartWidth, height, marginLeft: 135, marginRight: 45, x: { label: "Number of PACs", domain: [0, Math.max(1, maxCount * 1.15)], grid: true }, y: {domain: categories, label: null}, color: {domain: partyGroups, range: colors}, marks: [ Plot.barX(visibleSegments, { x1: "start", x2: "end", y: "pattern", fill: "partyGroup", title: d => `${d.pattern} · ${d.partyGroup}\n${d.count} PACs` }), Plot.text(visibleTotals, { x: "total", y: "pattern", text: d => String(d.total), dx: 6, textAnchor: "start" }), Plot.ruleX([0]) ] }); } const legend = Plot.legend({ color: {type: "ordinal", domain: partyGroups, range: colors} }); const fullChart = drawPanel({ title: "Who did corporate PACs support?", subtitle: `${matching} of ${pacs.length} PACs (${share}) supported more incumbents ` + "than challengers and gave to both parties.", categories: patterns, height: 260 }); const detailChart = drawPanel({ title: "A closer look at the two smaller groups", subtitle: "Zoomed count axis for equal numbers and more challengers", categories: ["Equal numbers", "More challengers"], height: 220 }); return html`

${legend} ${fullChart} ${detailChart}

2024 U.S. House cycle. Includes corporate PACs that supported at least two distinct candidates in the dataset.

`; }47:T492,pacDistrictGiving = { const usable = edges.filter(d => d.state && /^\d{1,2}$/.test(String(d.district)) && ["Incumbent", "Challenger"].includes(d.candidate_status) ); const districts = d3.group( usable, d => `${d.state}-${String(d.district).padStart(2, "0")}` ); return Array.from(districts, ([district, rows]) => { const statuses = new Set(rows.map(d => d.candidate_status)); if (statuses.size < 2) return []; return Array.from(d3.group(rows, d => d.pac_id), ([pacId, gifts]) => { const incumbents = gifts.filter(d => d.candidate_status === "Incumbent"); const challengers = gifts.filter(d => d.candidate_status === "Challenger"); const describe = candidates => Array.from( new Set(candidates.map(d => `${d.candidate_name} (${d.party})`)) ).join("; "); return { district, pacId, pac: gifts[0].pac_name, pattern: incumbents.length && challengers.length ? "Both" : incumbents.length ? "Incumbent only" : "Challenger only", incumbents: describe(incumbents), challengers: describe(challengers) }; }); }).flat(); }48:[{"id":"ce8eaa27c8b52295786a1371ae05e04ad688cfdc351e8ef1cbc29853e59febb283836fdd839bddd1dce5a9012605e237cd69c3664ceda6fd364fcc94ab5a7dd3","href":"https://static.observableusercontent.com/files/ce8eaa27c8b52295786a1371ae05e04ad688cfdc351e8ef1cbc29853e59febb283836fdd839bddd1dce5a9012605e237cd69c3664ceda6fd364fcc94ab5a7dd3","name":"fec_pac_house_edges.csv","type":"text/csv","lastModified":1793674138658,"size":4221100}] 38:{"id":"3635a5c274d0eda3","slug":"do-corporate-pacs-give-to-both-parties-a-look-at-the-2024-u-s-house-races","title":"Do Corporate PACs Give to Both Parties? A Look at the 2024 U.S. House Races","thumbnail":"b2d0b02c62f40e09d4eb29d0d05fedd0d130b32bf11e764bb2d7cf21c39c406c","access_level":"public","create_time":"$D2026-11-03T02:44:03.856Z","update_time":"$D2026-11-04T16:18:03.378Z","view_time":null,"first_public_time":"$D2026-11-04T16:30:51.370Z","has_unpublished_edits":null,"fork":false,"stars":0,"starred":false,"owner":{"type":"team","id":"23c5b41fb99349d8","login":"sarah-bethea2","name":"Sarah Bethea","avatar_url":null,"tier":"starter_2024","bio":"","followed_by_you":false,"follows_you":false},"version":374,"publish_version":374,"role":null,"authored":false,"authors":[{"type":"individual","id":"8a373c5cb2e04d32","login":"sarah-bethea2","name":"Sarah Bethea","avatar_url":null,"tier":null,"bio":"","followed_by_you":false,"follows_you":false}],"members":[{"type":"team","id":"23c5b41fb99349d8","login":"sarah-bethea2","name":"Sarah Bethea","avatar_url":null,"tier":"starter_2024","role":"editor"}],"comments":[],"custom_thumbnail":false,"trashed":false,"lapsed":null,"subscribed":null,"forks":0,"collection":null,"type":"notebook","body":{"titling":"auto","title":"Do Corporate PACs Give to Both Parties? A Look at the 2024 U.S. House Races","cells":[{"id":1,"value":"# Do Corporate PACs Give to Both Parties? A Look at the 2024 U.S. House Races\n\nIn this notebook, I use Federal Election Commission data to explore how corporate political action committees (PACs) contributed to U.S. House candidates in the 2024 election cycle. My hypothesis is that corporate PACs were more likely to support candidates from both major parties among incumbents than among challengers. For each group, I calculate the share of PACs that gave to at least one Democrat and at least one Republican, out of all PACs that gave to a candidate in that group.\n\nI also map these contributions as a network. Each link connects a PAC to a candidate it supported, with repeat contributions represented by a single link. The notebook starts with one PAC at a time and builds up to a view of the 10 or 20 PACs that supported the most distinct candidates. Seeing their contributions together makes it possible to trace a PAC’s giving across party lines and spot candidates who received support from several PACs.","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":2,"value":"## Hypothesis:\nMost corporate PACs that supported multiple candidates in the 2024 U.S. House election cycle gave to more incumbents than challengers and supported candidates from both major parties.\n\n#### Sources:\n[Federal Election Commission](https://www.fec.gov/data/browse-data/)","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":88,"value":"$3c","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":63,"value":"$3d","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":83,"value":"$3e","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":89,"value":"### Conclusion\nIn the 2024 U.S. House election cycle, the clearest pattern among corporate PACs that supported multiple candidates was giving to more incumbents than challengers while reaching candidates from both major parties. The network of the ten PACs with the most recipients made that pattern easy to see, and the stacked bar chart showed that it extended beyond those ten. Looking within districts also revealed cases where the same PAC supported both an incumbent and a challenger. Together, these findings describe who received support and how widely PACs spread it.","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":10,"value":"# Revision History\n\nI started by loading the data and inspecting a few rows to make sure each connection linked a PAC to the expected candidate, party, and incumbency status. I then made a bar chart comparing how often PACs supported both parties among incumbents and challengers. My first network zoomed in on one PAC at a time so I could see the individual connections behind that comparison.","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":4,"value":"Inputs.table(edges.slice(0, 10))","pinned":true,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":6,"value":"Plot.plot({\n title: \"How often did corporate PACs give to both parties?\",\n subtitle: \"2024 U.S. House cycle · Share of PACs that gave to each candidate group\",\n marginLeft: 95,\n marginRight: 175,\n x: {\n domain: [0, 1],\n tickFormat: \".0%\",\n label: \"Share of PACs giving to both parties\",\n grid: true\n },\n y: {\n domain: [\"Incumbent\", \"Challenger\"],\n label: null\n },\n marks: [\n Plot.barX(givingSummary.filter(d => d.share !== null), {\n x: \"share\",\n y: \"status\",\n fill: \"#48756d\",\n insetTop: 8,\n insetBottom: 8\n }),\n Plot.text(givingSummary, {\n x: d => d.share ?? 0,\n y: \"status\",\n text: d => d.total\n ? `${d3.format(\".1%\")(d.share)} (${d.both} of ${d.total})`\n : \"No qualifying PACs\",\n dx: 8,\n textAnchor: \"start\"\n })\n ]\n})","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":8,"value":"viewof selectedPac = Inputs.select(pacOptions, {\n label: \"Corporate PAC\",\n format: d => `${d.name} (${d.id})`\n})","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":9,"value":"$3f","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":11,"value":"### Critique\nThe black dot represents the selected PAC, and each line connects it to a candidate it supported. Democratic candidates are on the left, Republican candidates are on the right, incumbents are at the top, and challengers are at the bottom. The PAC dot overlaps the “Challengers” label, making it look like part of that group. The layout also takes a moment to read because the viewer has to work out what both directions mean.\n\n## Revision 1: Separate incumbents and challengers\nI kept Democrats on the left and Republicans on the right because that made the party split easy to see. I moved incumbents and challengers into separate, labeled panels so readers could tell which group they were looking at right away.","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":13,"value":"viewof selectedPacV2 = Inputs.select(pacOptions, {\n label: \"Corporate PAC\",\n format: d => `${d.name} (${d.id})`\n})","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":12,"value":"$40","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":15,"value":"### Critique\nThe panel headings made candidate status (incumbent/challenger) clearer, but showing the same PAC twice made the layout feel clunky. When a PAC supported only incumbents, the challenger panel took up space without adding any connections. I wanted to bring the recipients back into one view while keeping both party and candidate status visible.\n\n## Revision 2: Use shape to distinguish incumbents and challengers\nI brought the candidates back into one network around a single PAC node. I kept blue for Democrats and red for Republicans, and used circles for incumbents and diamonds for challengers. This lets readers see the party split and identify each candidate’s status in the same view.\n","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":17,"value":"viewof selectedPacV3 = Inputs.select(pacOptions, {\n label: \"Corporate PAC\",\n format: d => `${d.name} (${d.id})`\n})","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":18,"value":"$41","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":20,"value":"### Critique\nThis layout works well for exploring one PAC’s contributions, but the straight links bunch together near the center and are hard to trace. The central node is also labeled “Selected PAC,” so readers have to look back at the dropdown to see which PAC they’re viewing. I wanted to make the links easier to follow, label each PAC by name, and give readers the option to compare several PACs in the same network.\n\n## Revision 3 · Refine the network and add multi-PAC selection\nI curved the links and labeled each PAC by name. Readers can explore one PAC or select several to compare their giving patterns. Each candidate appears once, so when multiple PACs support the same candidate, their links converge on the same node. A shared-recipient filter lets readers focus on that overlap.","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":57,"value":"viewof selectedPacsV4 = Inputs.select(pacOptions, {\n label: \"Corporate PACs · select up to five\",\n multiple: 6,\n value: defaultPacsV4,\n format: d => d.name\n})","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":22,"value":"viewof sharedOnlyV4 = Inputs.toggle({\n label: \"Shared recipients only\",\n value: false\n})","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":24,"value":"$42","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":25,"value":"### Critique\nThe multi-PAC network works well for exploring one PAC or comparing a few, but the controls sit above the title. Readers encounter the dropdown and filter before they know what the network shows. I’ll keep this visualization and add a Markdown heading above the controls so readers have that context first.\n\nThe selector is useful when readers already know which PACs they want to compare. To give them a starting point, I wanted a view that shows several PACs together without requiring them to work through the full list.\n\n## Revision 4: Top 10 PAC network\nI ranked PACs by the number of distinct candidates they supported and displayed the top 10 together. This view makes it easier to spot shared recipients and see which of these PACs supported both parties among incumbents or challengers. The bar chart still provides the overall comparison across all qualifying PACs.\n","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":35,"value":"viewof pacLimitV6 = Inputs.radio([10, 20], {\n label: \"PACs to show\",\n format: n => `Top ${n}`,\n value: 10\n})","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":36,"value":"$43","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":61,"value":"$44","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":66,"value":"districtGivingChart = {\n const patterns = [\"Incumbent only\", \"Challenger only\", \"Both\"];\n const counts = d3.rollup(pacDistrictGiving, rows => rows.length, d => d.pattern);\n const data = patterns.map(pattern => ({pattern, count: counts.get(pattern) ?? 0}));\n\n if (!pacDistrictGiving.length) {\n return \"No districts had both candidate statuses represented in the CSV.\";\n }\n\n return Plot.plot({\n title: \"Who did PACs support within the same House district?\",\n subtitle: \"Districts with both an incumbent and a challenger represented in the data\",\n marginLeft: 105,\n marginRight: 45,\n x: {label: \"Number of PAC–district pairs\", grid: true},\n y: {domain: patterns, label: null},\n marks: [\n Plot.barX(data, {x: \"count\", y: \"pattern\", fill: \"#3e766d\"}),\n Plot.text(data, {\n x: \"count\",\n y: \"pattern\",\n text: \"count\",\n dx: 6,\n textAnchor: \"start\"\n })\n ]\n });\n}","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":73,"value":"$45","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":75,"value":"### Critique\nThe stacked chart makes the dominant pattern easy to see: many corporate PACs supported more incumbents than challengers and gave to both parties. The difference in group sizes is clear on a shared scale, but the “Equal numbers” and “More challengers” bars are so short that their party breakdowns are hard to read.\n\n## Revision 6: Add zoom in on smaller groups\nI kept the full chart for comparing group sizes and added a second panel with a shorter count axis. The second panel shows just the two smaller groups so readers can see how their giving breaks down by party.\n","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":70,"value":"$46","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":77,"value":"### Final Critiques\nI’m happy with how the network and bar charts work together. The network lets readers trace individual contributions, while the bar charts summarize patterns across PACs and districts. For the final version, I’ll refine the color palette and place the titles above the controls so readers know what each view shows before they interact with it.","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":60,"value":"### Code","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"md","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":33,"value":"rankedPacsV6 = d3.rollups(\n edges,\n rows => ({\n name: rows[0].pac_name,\n count: new Set(rows.map(d => d.candidate_id)).size\n }),\n d => d.pac_id\n)\n .map(([id, info]) => ({id, ...info}))\n .sort((a, b) =>\n d3.descending(a.count, b.count) ||\n d3.ascending(a.name, b.name) ||\n d3.ascending(a.id, b.id)\n )","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":21,"value":"defaultPacsV4 = {\n const byPac = d3.group(edges, d => d.pac_id);\n\n const givesToBothParties = rows => {\n const parties = new Set(rows.map(d => d.party));\n return parties.has(\"DEM\") && parties.has(\"REP\");\n };\n\n const airbnb = pacOptions.find(p => /airbnb/i.test(p.name));\n\n const bipartisanChallengers = pacOptions.find(p =>\n p !== airbnb &&\n givesToBothParties(\n byPac.get(p.id).filter(d => d.candidate_status === \"Challenger\")\n )\n );\n\n const oneParty = pacOptions.find(p =>\n p !== airbnb &&\n new Set(byPac.get(p.id).map(d => d.party)).size === 1\n );\n\n return [...new Set([\n airbnb, bipartisanChallengers, oneParty, ...pacOptions\n ].filter(Boolean))].slice(0, 3);\n}","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":7,"value":"pacOptions = Array.from(\n d3.rollup(edges, rows => rows[0].pac_name, d => d.pac_id),\n ([id, name]) => ({id, name})\n).sort((a, b) => d3.ascending(a.name, b.name))","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":5,"value":"givingSummary = [\"Incumbent\", \"Challenger\"].map(status => {\n const relevantEdges = edges.filter(d => d.candidate_status === status);\n const partiesByPac = d3.rollup(\n relevantEdges,\n rows => new Set(rows.map(d => d.party)),\n d => d.pac_id\n );\n\n const total = partiesByPac.size;\n const both = Array.from(partiesByPac.values())\n .filter(parties => parties.has(\"DEM\") && parties.has(\"REP\")).length;\n\n return {status, total, both, share: total ? both / total : null};\n})","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":3,"value":"edges = FileAttachment(\"fec_pac_house_edges.csv\").csv()","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"},{"id":65,"value":"$47","pinned":false,"hidden":false,"mode":"ojs","author":"$undefined","summary":"$undefined","tool":"$undefined","providerMetadata":"$undefined","attachments":"$undefined","output":"$undefined","database":"$undefined"}],"files":"$W48","stdlib":"2"}} 33:null