What is NADA PAC? Five Things You Need To Know

Pub. 1 2021 Issue 1

Published March 5, 2021

This story appears in the
Montana Auto Dealer Pub. 1 2021 Issue 1

By The Montana Auto Dealers Association

The textbook definition of a political action committee is a tax-exempt 527 organization that pools donors’ contributions to direct funds into campaigns for or against candidates, ballot initiatives, or proposed legislation. But in reality, NADA PAC is actually a contribution towards the future of the franchise system here in Montana.

NADA PAC makes a difference by working on issues that matter now and into our industry’s future, making your contribution invaluable. Here are some things to know:

It’s All About Developing Advocacy for the Industry
NADA’s sole political fundraising arm provides access to and influence on state and federal legislators to benefit our industry. NADA PAC supports automobile franchise-friendly legislators and offers opportunities to speak on issues that impact the profession, your dealerships, and your ability to service your customers.
NADA PAC Is Powered by Individual Contributions
Voluntary contributions by current MTADA members are what makes the PAC possible — that’s why every dollar counts. Like all political action committees, NADA PAC is subject to federal laws and regulations. Those laws and regulations prohibit the use of MTADA dues to support the PAC — instead, it’s up to individual members who understand the value NADA PAC brings to the profession.
NADA PAC Builds Connections That Make an Impact
NADA PAC focuses its efforts on building relationships with Congress members and their staff — the crucial component in being able to deliver advocacy that will be listened to and acted on.
NADA PAC Is Among the Top Influencers in Grassroots Politics
In a large field of associations competing for attention on Capitol Hill, NADA PAC is a standout. Just this past fall, our state raised 1,203.7% of goal, $39,000 in contributions. We ranked number one on the NADA PAC Summary Report.
NADA PAC’s Champions Are Carefully Selected
NADA PAC’s donation decisions are backed up by thorough research and evaluation. Our association staff and board of directors analyze candidate voting records, current relationships with our dealer members, current or potential leadership roles, and a host of other factors to ensure the best fit with our industry’s advocacy goals.

By informing our legislators about important industry issues, it becomes easier to involve them in making changes. Most people suffer from information clutter — there is simply too much going on for people to thoughtfully consider every piece of information that comes their way, and it can also be hard to know who to trust.

A grassroots organization, like our NADA PAC, can solve these problems, extract the most important parts and decide where effort can be made to maximize results, and then give that information to those interested. The result? People who are informed and know they can make a difference are much more likely to become engaged.

Why is grassroots activism effective? It’s simple. That’s where you can cause the most change.

State Summary: Thank you to the dealers that donated to the NADA PAC

In 2020, Montana dealers contributed a total of $39,000 to NADA PAC from 26 individuals. Among NADA districts, Montana finished first in fundraising as a percentage of NADA PAC goals, raising 1203.7% of goal, $39,000 in contributions. NADA PAC raised more than $2.5 million from dealers across the country.

NADA PAC helps to elect to Congress qualified individuals who understand the needs of new car and truck dealers. In the 2020 election cycle, NADA PAC was credited as being one of the nation’s top five largest trade association political action committees in terms of both total fundraising and contributions to federal candidates. NADA PAC supports candidates for Congress based on the recommendations of the NADA PAC dealer leadership for each state.

The 2021 NADA PAC leadership team for Montana consists of NADA Director Don Kaltschmidt, MTADA President Erick Anderson, NADA PAC State Chairman Jim Stanger, and MTADA Executive Vice President Bruce Knudsen.

The following individuals from Montana were contributors to NADA PAC in 2020.