80+ Congressional Candidates Join End Citizens United to “Unrig Washington” in 2026

ECU’s new program will help position Democrats as the party of reform

Washington, DC, Sept. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- End Citizens United (ECU), one of the nation’s leading anti-corruption organizations, today announced that 83 congressional candidates have joined its campaign to “Unrig Washington,” a bold new standard for Democratic candidates and members of Congress to show they are serious about cleaning up Washington and putting voters first.

Democrats from across the political spectrum––from incumbents to challengers and progressives to moderates––signed on for the program launch, showing that reform is a unifying cause and a clear contrast to Republicans who protect the corrupt system.


Unrig Washington is centered around three critical reforms that voters are demanding: 

1. Ban Congressional Stock Trading: Support legislation to prohibit Members of Congress from trading individual stocks. Public office is a place to serve, not to profit. 
2. Refuse Corporate PAC Money: Reject all contributions from corporate PACs to send a clear message: Elected officials' priorities are the people, not powerful corporations or special interests. 
3. Crack Down on Dark Money: Fight to end the flood of undisclosed political spending by supporting legislation to expose secret donors, increase transparency, and fix the FEC to have a cop on the beat. It's time to end the dominance of billionaire-funded special interest groups. 

The 2026 midterm elections will be a referendum on a broken system, and End Citizens United will continue recruiting candidates for the House and Senate to join its Unrig Washington program to show voters that Democrats are the party of reform.

“The American people are sick and tired of watching politicians line their pockets with stock trades, sell out to corporations, and allow billionaires to buy our elections with dark money,” said End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller. “With Unrig Washington, we’re showing voters that Democrats are ready to lead with reform, and our new campaign gives voters a clear standard to judge who is serious about reform. This is good policy and a winning political strategy for the midterms.”

“Since arriving in the Senate, I’ve worked to reform our broken political system and rejected donations from corporate PACs or federal lobbyists. I will continue to work alongside End Citizens United in the fight against corruption as my campaign continues to build the massive momentum needed to win in Georgia next November,” said Senator Jon Ossoff.

“Working families are struggling with the rising cost of housing, health care, and groceries, while too many politicians are busy getting wealthy trading stocks and catering to their corporate donors,” said Congressman Greg Casar. “Democrats must rebuild trust with voters by tackling the growing corruption problem in Congress. That’s why ECU’s Unrig Washington campaign is so important, and I’m proud to join from Day 1.”

“Reform that will end corruption in Washington is long overdue. We’re seeing the effects of money in politics destroy our democracy at this very moment because billionaires have been allowed to buy their way into our politics and influence the outcome of our elections. Some Members of Congress are more interested in enriching themselves or their corporate donors than serving their constituents. This must end,” said Congresswoman Summer Lee. "This is why I am proud to join End Citizens United's Unrig Washington Campaign."

"We need new leaders in Washington who are unafraid to root out corruption and put working families first," said Rebecca Cooke (WI-03). "From our small businesses getting squeezed by tariffs, to my neighbors driving hours to get medical care in the wake of rural hospital closures, my community is living the consequences of decades of failed DC policies. Growing up on a dairy farm, we were forced to sell our cows because of the price of milk and competition with larger dairies. My campaign has never accepted corporate PAC money because I will only be accountable to the voters. I am proud to support banning congressional stock trading and ending the corrosive influence of dark money in our politics."

Recent ECU battleground polling shows that by focusing on fighting corruption and championing popular reforms—like those outlined in the Unrig Washington—Democrats can win back key voting blocs necessary to flip the House next November.

End Citizens United will spotlight candidates who take the Unrig Washington program, making sure voters know the leaders that are stepping up to clean up Washington. The organization will elevate their voices in the national reform conversation, connect them with grassroots supporters, provide strategic research and messaging guidance, and feature them across earned and digital media.

Visit UnrigWashington.org to see the list of candidates who have joined the campaign and to track the campaign’s growing momentum.

For 10 Years, End Citizens United (ECU) has been dedicated to combating the two biggest challenges facing our democracy: the corrosive impact of Big Money in politics and attempts to block access to the ballot box. Since its founding in 2015, ECU has had over 1.4 million donors with an average donation of just $14. The group has more than four million members nationwide and is one of the nation’s leading anti-corruption organizations.

Bawadden Sayed
End Citizens United
bawadden@endcitizensunited.org

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