Citizens United
2010 Supreme Court ruling that let corporations and unions fund unlimited independent political expenditures.
On 30 June 2026, the Supreme Court removed federal caps on party-candidate coordinated spending, extending the campaign-finance logic associated with Citizens United.
Last refreshed: 24 September 2026
How does Citizens United connect to the new NRSC v. FEC ruling?
Timeline for Citizens United
Mentioned in: NRSC spends $45.9m, DSCC takes cash lead
US Midterms 2026Mentioned in: No Going Back PAC spends $29.2m in week
US Midterms 2026Mentioned in: NRSC shifts to coordinated party money
US Midterms 2026Mentioned in: Court lifts caps on party spending
US Midterms 2026Mentioned in: NRSC moves its ad money in-house
US Midterms 2026Background
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission is a United States Supreme Court campaign-finance ruling. In January 2010, the Court held that the First Amendment prevents the government from restricting independent political expenditures by corporations, unions and other associations.
The ruling is a durable reference point because it separates independent expenditure from direct contributions to candidates. Direct contribution limits and rules governing coordination were not the issue Citizens United decided.
Its relevance widened on 30 June 2026, when NRSC v. FEC removed federal caps on coordinated party-candidate spending. That ruling connected the principle associated with Citizens United to a second route for party election spending.
Citizens United shapes party spending
On 30 June 2026, NRSC v. FEC voided the caps that had kept party committees from coordinating spending directly with their own nominees. The ruling extended a further stretch of campaign finance towards the constitutional approach Citizens United first established.
For Citizens United, the significance is not a new holding but a broader practical reach. On 30 June, the National Republican Senatorial Committee began closing its independent-expenditure unit and moving funds into coordinated advertising, where party committees can direct spending alongside campaigns.