Supreme Court strikes down coordinated party spending limits: what changes

The Supreme Court’s June 30, 2026 decision in National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Election Commission struck down federal limits on political parties’ coordinated spending with federal candidates—one major category of campaign spending that had been capped under the Federal Election Campaign Act. The Federal Election Commission followed with an update on July 1, 2026, translating the ruling for compliance and enforcement as the 2026 election cycle approaches.

What the Court struck down (and why it matters) i

Under FECA, political parties can spend money in ways that are “coordinated” with a candidate’s campaign (for example, coordinated advertisements). The law previously set political party coordinated-expenditure limits. In NRSC v. FEC, the Court held those limits violate the First Amendment.

In doing so, the Court overruled Colorado II, which had previously upheld FECA’s coordinated-expenditure limits using a deferential approach.

What’s not automatically eliminated i

The ruling is specifically about the coordinated-expenditure limits for political parties—not the entire federal campaign-finance system. The Supreme Court and the FEC update emphasize that other FECA guardrails remain important to the government’s anti-circumvention rationale.

In particular, the Court highlighted two categories of rules it said can address circumvention concerns:

• Earmarking rules, which can treat contributions directed through an intermediary as contributions to the candidate.
• Disclosure requirements, which require candidates and parties to report contributions and campaign spending, including spending tied to coordinated activity.

What to watch next before ballots are cast i

The near-term storyline isn’t a single new rule automatically replacing the old caps. Instead, election-watchers will be looking for how the FEC frames compliance in light of the decision—and how campaigns and parties adjust coordination practices and documentation to stay within the remaining FECA framework (especially reporting and disclosure obligations).

Sources

• U.S. Supreme Court opinion (NRSC v. FEC)
• FEC litigation update (July 1, 2026)
• Roll Call explainer coverage