AL Advising

Philanthropic and Political Consulting

Denver, CO

202-256-7183

AL Advising works with progressive philanthropists to create a portfolio of civic engagement, policy, and advocacy investments including 501c3, 501c4, candidate, and related political giving.

Filtering by Tag: 2020 election

Where to Give Now: Oct 2020

October 15, 2020  /  Alexandra Acker Lyons

This is it. Our willingness to donate again and again is the reason why Democrats are heavily favored to keep the House and are now favored to win the Senate -- something prognosticators would have laughed at a year ago. (It has the added bonus of pissing off Mitch McConnell.) And it’s a big part of why Joe Biden is competitive in states like Iowa, Ohio, and Texas. Trump has gone dark in crucial Midwestern battleground states amid reports that his campaign is nearly broke. So, dig deep.

And yes, there are targeted places where last-minute money still helps, primarily in down-ballot races. Some key US Senate races can also use additional funds.

One final note: we all hate money in politics and our crazy campaign finance system. We spent a record $5.7 billion on the 2018 elections. But we spent $9 billion on Halloween that year. So while COVID has made trick or treating all but impossible, put your candy budget to good use saving democracy.


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tags / 2020 election, 2020 Senate election, 2020 House elections, 2020 state legislative elections

RBG In Memorium

September 18, 2020  /  Alexandra Acker Lyons

I have no words for the fact that Ruth Bader Ginsburg died on Rosh Hashanah. “May her memory be a blessing” is so insufficient for the life she led. We need to take a moment to remember her and her legacy. But after that moment, we have to get to work. And there is a lot of work to do.

I see the consequences of her death in four parts:


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tags / RBG, Rith Bader Ginsberg, 2020 election, 2020 Senate election, Supreme Court

Where to Give Now: July 2020

July 27, 2020  /  Alexandra Acker Lyons

Are you freaking out yet? We have 95 days until Election Day. And we’re about to enter silly season — VP speculation, the conventions, pollercoasters, and lots and lots of late money being thrown at anything that sounds feasible.

In addition to the usual giving recommendations, I also offer some advice on all of the above along with some resources to aid your sanity.

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tags / presidential election, US Senate elections, US House elections, 2020 election

Where to Give Now: May 2020

May 29, 2020  /  Alexandra Acker Lyons

aka How to help Joe Biden win….

As an alum of John Kerry’s presidential campaign, I know all too well how it feels to get overconfident in the face of a terrible incumbent. You just can’t believe anyone would vote for this idiot, right? But as Bush ran up the vote among Evangelical voters to help secure his win, Trump is spending millions in key battleground states to register non-college white men to vote. Make no mistake — this will be a close election. And Biden is most vulnerable to Trump’s 2:1 cash advantage from now through the convention in August. So it’s time to break out the checkbooks.

Look, Joe Biden wasn’t my first choice — or my second. But I trust him, I trust his (growing) team, and I trust the movement around him who will do everything they can to win and push him on key issues before and after the election.

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tags / 2020, 2020 election, joe biden, youth vote, Latinx vote, Black vote, SuperPACs

Where to Give Now: Sept 2019

September 06, 2019  /  Alexandra Acker Lyons

Let’s get out the crystal ball. One year from now, the Democratic and Republican conventions will be over. We will have a Democratic nominee and a Vice-Presidential candidate. Strategies will crystalize as we narrow down the states in play. Turnout operations kick into high gear (although — fingers crossed! — voter contact programs have been funded and running in key states for the better part of a year, if not longer).  We are looking forward to the first general election debate (assuming our authoritarian President actually deigns to debate, and more than once). 

How do we ensure we are in the best possible position to take advantage of the upcoming year, not only for the presidential election but critical Senate, House, and state and local races? 

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tags / 2020 election, US, US House elections, US Senate, US Senate elections, local elections, donors

Where to Give Now: March 2019

April 26, 2019  /  Alexandra Acker Lyons

With the first fundraising deadline of the 2020 cycle rapidly approaching (midnight on Sunday, March 31st, for those who have not been bombarded with calls and emails yet), I wanted to take a moment to stress why giving now is smart money.

First, there’s a reason why EMILY’s List has the best acronym in politics — early money IS like yeast (it makes the dough rise). In our current, terrible campaign finance system, fundraising is one of the only ways to show viability and money begets money.

Second, early communications and organizing set the tone and lay the groundwork for the race. Every candidate wants to be out there communicating with voters early on, defining their own message and setting the policy agenda. Early communications can be more positive in tone, focused on issues, and — bonus points! — are much more cost-effective than during a crowded fall campaign season.

Finally, money helps scare off challengers. This has been shown time and time again but we have great examples to point to in 2018: Sens. Tammy Baldwin, Sherrod Brown, and Debbie Stabenow all raised significant war chests and did not face top tier challengers. This cycle, we need to shore up House and Senate incumbents (see more below) early on to take those races off the map and focus on offense.

So while things at the presidential level are very much in flux, concentrate on the incumbents who need those early dollars. It’s not as sexy as flipping a seat in the final weeks but it’s easier and cheaper in the long run.

tags / 2020 election, US Senate elections, US House elections