Political leanings: Conservative
2024 total spending: $91.3 million
Restoration of America PAC, previously known as Restoration PAC, was founded in January 2015 as a super PAC.
According to its website, Restoration of America is an “umbrella name for a family of conservative organizations” that will “defend our nation by electing like-minded leaders and by creating organizations and campaigns that promote fully transparent elections, economic freedom, limited government, military superiority, secure borders, rule of law, and the sanctity of life.” Besides the super PAC, the collective includes two 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations, Restoration of America and Voter Reference Foundation, and a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Restoration of America Foundation.
The super PAC describes itself as a committee that helps conservative candidates “win the toughest battles in America,” and says its advertisements spread the message of “restoring America’s greatness” and “defeating the woke Left.”
Doug Truax is the Founder and CEO of the Restoration of America political organization and its super PAC. Truax is a graduate of West Point and an Army veteran. In 2014, he ran in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat for Illinois, but lost to then state Sen. Jim Oberweis, who was defeated by Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin in the general election.
As a super PAC, Restoration of America PAC can receive unlimited contributions from individuals, corporations, political action committees and other sources. It’s also required to periodically report those donations to the Federal Election Commission.
In the 2024 election cycle, it raised and spent more than $91 million, including nearly $43 million on independent expenditures, which are communications, such as TV or newspaper ads, that expressly advocate for or against candidates. The majority of its independent-expenditure spending – more than $34 million – was against then-Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, who was campaigning to become president.
Richard Uihlein, the billionaire CEO of the shipping and industrial supplies company Uline, is the super PAC’s largest donor. FEC records show the Republican megadonor contributed more than $80 million to the super PAC for the 2024 cycle, and so far, he has already contributed over $ 57 million from January 2025 to June 2026. Restoration of America PAC reported receiving almost $60.8 million in total contributions as of June 30.
Much of its spending during the 2026 cycle has been contributions to other conservative groups, including American Principles Project PAC, Citizens for Free Enterprise and Americas PAC. But the super PAC did spend over $1.6 million on TV ads last fall, supporting Republican Nate Morris’ U.S. Senate candidacy in Kentucky.
Morris later suspended his campaign in May — at President Donald Trump’s request — and endorsed Rep. Andy Barr for the Republican nomination in the Senate race. Trump then nominated Morris in July to serve as the U.S. ambassador to Colombia.
FactCheck.org Undergraduate Fellow Justine Weng contributed to this article.
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