American Bridge 21st Century occupies an unusual niche among major super PACs: it is primarily an opposition-research and rapid-response operation rather than an advertising powerhouse. Founded in 2010 by Democratic operative David Brock, the group maintains a large research staff that compiles dossiers on Republican candidates, tracks them on the trail with video crews, and feeds material to allied campaigns, super PACs, and the press.
American Bridge spends on its own independent expenditures — particularly direct mail and digital advertising targeted at battleground voters — but its primary contribution to Democratic campaigns is the intelligence and content it provides to other organizations that then use it in advertising. In recent cycles, American Bridge has been a top spender against Donald Trump specifically, often with a focus on persuading working-class swing voters.
The group’s funding model relies heavily on a small number of large Democratic donors, with significant contributions over the years from George Soros, Donald Sussman, and others. American Bridge has been criticized within the Democratic coalition for strategic and management choices but remains a fixture of the party’s outside-spending infrastructure.
Website: americanbridgepac.org · OpenSecrets profile: Searchable as “American Bridge 21st Century” at OpenSecrets