Overview
On March 1, the new rule related to the use of campaign funds by a candidate’s principal campaign committee to pay compensation to the candidate went into effect. The rule is intended to address the many financial obstacles a non-incumbent candidate can face when running for office.
In December the FEC heard testimony about these obstacles from the first Gen Z candidate to win a House seat, Florida Rep. Maxwell Frost. Rep. Frost testified about driving an Uber to support himself while campaigning and the struggles he faced financially as a result. The new rules “will help ordinary, working-class Americans to represent their communities by running for federal office,” said FEC Commissioner Shana Broussard, a Democrat who championed the rule change.
In the past, the FEC has allowed candidates to use campaign funds to pay themselves a salary, setting strict limits on that compensation to avoid improper personal use of donors’ money. They could not start drawing a paycheck until the candidate filing deadlines in their states. These deadlines can often be months after a candidate needs to start campaigning full-time. Now, the candidate can draw compensation as of the date they file their Statement of Candidacy.
Under the new rules, candidates can use campaign funds to pay themselves up to 50% of the annual U.S. House salary or the equivalent of the average annual income they earned during a longer look-back period of five years, whichever is lower. Rank-and-file House members earn $174,000 a year. The new rule does not apply to incumbents.
You can find the full FEC post at here.
