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This movement started on June 7th, 2025, when State Committee Members of the Arizona Democratic Party voted overwhelmingly to establish a "People’s Primary" — a bold move to stop billionaires and corporations from buying our primary elections.

On June 28th, 2025, the North Carolina Democratic Party joined the Arizona Democratic Party in committing to establishing a "People's Primary."

On August 12th, 2025, DNC Chair Ken Martin announced that he is going to offer this same resolution to the Democratic National Committee.

On August 16th, 2025, the Democratic Party of Arkansas voted to table this resolution until the December 2025 State Committee Meeting. Now we're fighting to get the word out and ensure that we don't miss the opportunity to lead the nation in taking a stand against the oligarchs who have bought our democracy.

On August 26th, 2026 the Democratic National Committee's Resoluions Panel unanimously approved a resolution to have the newyly formed DNC Committee on Reforms identify and study "real, enforceable" measures the DNC can take to eliminate unlimited dark money in the presidential primary and offer those recommendations to the DNC by the Summer of 2026!

Want your state to be next? Contact us to learn how to propose this resolution in your state.

We need your help. The State Committee Members, who will vote on our final policy in December are elected by members of our county. If we want to build a Democratic Party of Arkansas that stands up for the working class and stands against billionares and corporate influence, we need to recruit working class County Party Members who won't hesitate to advance the agenda of the 99% from inside the party.

To endorse our resolution and learn how to join your County Party, fill out this form, and we will get you connected with your County Chair!

Why This Matters

The Research is Clear

Big Money is Bigger than Ever

  • Nearly 60% of ads in 2022 Democratic House primaries were funded by outside groups, not candidates.
  • In 2012, just 159 donors gave $1 million or more, accounting for nearly 60% of all Super PAC funding nationwide.

Arkansas Hasn't Been Spared from Outside Spending

  • Since the 2010 Citizens United decision, campaign spending in Arkansas jumped from $13M to $72M, a 561% increase

Our Resolution

Title: Resolution to Establish a "People's Primary" Policy Banning Billionaires and Corporations from Buying or Unduly Influencing Democratic Primaries

Democratic Party of Arkansas
State Committee
December 2025 Meeting
By: State Committee Member Hon. Corey Spangler
Date Submitted: August 16, 2025

WHEREAS, the Democratic Party is the party of the working class and Americans who believe in a one person, one vote democracy where our elections are determined by We the People as equal citizens -- not by billlionaires and big corporations; and

WHEREAS, working class voters should have no doubt that the candidates chosen in our primaries are not beholden to the same billionares and corporations that are exploting and hurting them; and

WHEREAS, the Democratic Party of Arkansas (DPA), as a voluntary association, has the authority and responsibility to regulate its internal affairs, including nominating processes and primary elections, to ensure fairness, integrity and alignment with our values; and

WHEREAS, to strenthen our party's brand, win back trust from many voters, and empower our party to win elections and govern to deliver for the working class, the DPA must act to confront the crisis of big money corrupting our democracy within the arena under our direct authority: our primary elections;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the DPA will establish a "People's Primary" policy to bar, to the greatest extent possible, the use of massive private wealth to buy or unduly influence our primary elections. This policy will ensure, to the greatest extent possible, that candidates in Democratic primaries are not benefitted by, dependent on, or elected due to outside or independent electioneering spending funded by big donors who are circumventing legal limits on direct contributions to a candidate's campaign fund to spend tens or hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars of private wealth to elect the candidates of their choice.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chair of the DPA shall form an ad-hoc committee to develop this policy that includes the organizers of this resolution and one mutually agreed upon member of the DPA Executive Committee. The committee will be charged with developing this policy to achieve the purpose established here-in and with formulating official propsed DPA People's Primary policy and procedures, including any bylaws changes, if necessary, to implement and enforce it. This policy and associated procedures, and any additional supporting resolution or bylaws changes, will be prepared and submitted for a vote at Quarter 2 2026 State Committee meeting.

Endorsements

Want to add your name as an endorser? Go to this form to sign in support.

Arkansas Leaders

  • Hon. Corey Spangler, Chair-Democtatic Party of Lonoke County, DPA State Committeepersion, Cabot City Council Member
  • Billy Cook, Arkansas District-3 Executive Committe Member
  • Chenoa Summers, Arkansas Progressive Democrats Caucus Co-Chair
  • Jacob Kauffman, Former Democratic Party of Arkansas Political Director & Communications Director; Former Anchor and Reporter for Little Rock Public Radio
  • Zayd Kelley, Chair, College Democrats of Arkansas
  • Lela Chism, Operations Officer, Arkansas Progressive Democrats Caucus
  • Sam Kauffman, Former Pulaski County Democratic Pary Vice Chair, Former Platform Committee Co-Chair, Former DPA State Committee Member, Young Democrat of the Year - 2019

National Leaders

  • Sen. Bernie Sanders, US Senator, Vermont
  • Lawrence Lessig, Chair, Equal Citizens
  • Rep. Ro Khanna, US Congressman, CA-17

About Us

The Stop Big Money AR campaign is a project of a grassroots coalition of Arkansas Democrats committed to building a party that puts the working class first, not billionaires and big corporations. The coalition is helmed by Corey Spangler, who chairs the Democratic Party of Lonoke County and submitted proposed clean money bylaws changes to the DPA on 3/31/2025. We are united by the mission to bring the progressive values of our communities to the state legislature and beyond, to create the Arkansas and United States of America we all deserve.

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