War Chests vs. We the People
Tom Cole has a war chest. We have people. Tom Cole has billionaire friends. We have grassroots donors. When Tom Cole took office in 2003, his estimated net worth was $2 million. From there, Cole’s net worth grew to an estimated $3 million in 2008, and is approximately $9 million today. Since taking office, Cole has raised and spent at least $1 million per election cycle, and has already spent more than $3 million in the 2026 cycle alone. This money is being raised and spent at the same time Americans are facing rising grocery and gas prices, and so much more.
Let’s face it. Incumbents like Tom Cole are focused on personal wealth, retaining power, and staying in office. They are not focused on kitchen-table issues like the cost of living, expanding access to healthcare, or ensuring the federal government is accountable to the American People. The 2010 Citizens United decision upended American politics and injected Big Money into every single race. We must stop billionaires from buying politicians with unlimited donations. Only then will the focus return to the People, and away from the wealthiest donors and special interests buying America’s elections.
The Anatomy of Cole’s War Chest
Numbers don’t lie, and Cole’s financial reports show us exactly where his priorities lie. For the 2026 Midterm alone, he has raised over $3.8 million and rolled over $1.78 million from his 2024 campaign into this one, bringing his total funds to $5 million + for the 2026 election. After spending more than $3 million this cycle, Tom Cole had $2.6 million cash-on-hand as of June 30, 2026.
Who Is Funding Cole’s Campaign?
Over 75% of his individual contributions come from outside Oklahoma, and only 2.85% of his funding comes from small individual contributions under $200. Almost half of his funding, 40%, comes from political action committees (PACs). Of the $3.8 million Tom Cole has raised so far, $1.6 million came through 332 unique PAC contributors, not from the people of Oklahoma’s Fourth District.
American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is Cole’s largest source of contributions. For the 2024 election, Tom Cole accepted $500,000 from AIPAC. It is no surprise that for the 2026 Midterm Election, reports are showing his number one source of campaign contributions is, in fact, AIPAC, and Pro-Israel industries are heavily funding his re-election campaign.
Special interest money will continue to pour cash into Tom Cole’s campaign, and he will raise millions more.
On What Is Cole Spending These Millions?
While Oklahomans work to provide for their families and stretch their paychecks amid rising prices, Tom Cole’s campaign filings show he funds a lifestyle of luxury for himself while paying others to campaign for him. His reports are filled with payments to consulting services, payroll, credit card payments, transfers of excess funds to the Republican National Congressional Committee, fancy dinners, liquor stores, luxury lodging, cigars, airfare, and outrageous Uber fares.
For example, a receipt for a $4,000 dinner at Nobu, a luxury, high-end Japanese restaurant, and an $8,000 dinner at The Capital Grille, an upscale fine-dining steakhouse in a prime D.C. location and a popular spot among politicians and lobbyists. You can also find a single $1,251 expense from Georgetown Tobacco for cigars. Instead of visiting constituents or hosting a town hall, he spends thousand-dollar nights at private ranches here in Oklahoma like Stonewood Ranch or at the Ritz-Carlton in Miami. When in Miami, his filings also show he likes to hang at cocktail lounges like Medium Cool Miami, a popular underground nightlife venue.
He’s Not Doing the Work Himself
He is paying what appears to be a consulting firm, Key & Associates. His filings show large payments, ranging from $30,000 to $100,000, labeled as “fundraising commission,” as well as a $1,000 “fundraising retainer.” He even paid $22,500 for polling from a company he has a personal stake in, Cole Hargrave Snodgrass & Associates.
Corruption in Plain Sight
In June, the Supreme Court ruled in National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Election Commission (“NRSC v. FEC”) to strike down limits on coordinated spending between parties and candidates. This ruling is a win for billionaire donors and an invitation for corruption. Voters see it. Brennan Center for Justice surveyed voters and found that 92% of Americans believe corruption is a big problem in government, and 89% say this corruption results in policies that benefit billionaires at the expense of everyone else.
For the record, I also believe that corruption is a major issue and that we must address it immediately by kicking money out of politics, passing term limits, and passing a ban on stock trading for sitting members of Congress. Voters want reform and transparency. 79% of voters support including a constitutional amendment to restore limits on campaign contributions, and 85% want mandatory disclosure of all federal campaign contributions and spending.
A Little Goes a Long Way
The truth is, a little can go a long way toward uprooting the corruption in Washington, so that kitchen-table issues every day Oklahomans face do not go unaddressed. Tom Cole can buy every ad slot in the state, but he cannot manufacture the moment when a neighbor puts up a yard sign. He cannot replicate the volunteer who knocks on a door because they actually believe in this campaign. We are spending these sweaty summer months building a campaign that listens to every community, including the ones that rarely see a Congressional candidate. While Cole’s money funds his luxurious lifestyle, it doesn’t replace the conversations we have in doorways and driveways, and it certainly does not put down roots in a community.
We don't need to match Tom Cole dollar for dollar. We have to win on the ground, and I am all in on knocking doors, hosting phone banks, and winning this election by listening to constituents and building a community. It is time to return the Congressional seat where it belongs: in the hands of Oklahomans, not special interests and billionaire buddies. The possibility of flipping this seat only exists if we have the resources to sustain it through the summer and into the fall. That’s where you come in.
Your financial support today helps guide the decisions we make now, which will determine what this campaign can achieve in October. I know there are people in every inch of this District who are ready to retire Tom Cole; I just need your help ensuring I have the resources to reach as many people as possible who are ready for change. I want to share something with you. Since launching this campaign on August 16, 2025, I have not billed the campaign for a single tank of gas, though I have driven over 20,000 miles campaigning. I have not charged the campaign for a single coffee, lunch, or meeting because I pledge to be a good steward of your hard-earned dollars and spend them unseating Tom Cole, not on myself. I am proud of this campaign, and I hope to build a campaign that you can be proud of, too. Please consider chipping in to help us reach every voter so they can finally know they have another choice this election.
