For more than 50 years, the REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC) has been one of the strongest and most successful advocacy organizations in the nation working to protect the future of real estate in our country. RPAC recognizes that an industry that shies away from politics is an industry whose future is unstable and uncertain.
At the National Association of REALTORS® level, some of the major advocacy goals are to improve access to homeownership, increase housing inventory, streamline affordable housing programs, and expand economic opportunities; to ensure fair housing for all; and, to help inform policymaking through NAR research products.
This past year, 452 RPAC-supported federal candidates advanced from their primaries to the general election. A total of 438 of those races were won – bringing the success rate for this year’s election to 97%. NAR also took 153 Opportunity Races live this election cycle, with nearly 50/50 support for Democrats and Republicans. The Opportunity Race program mobilizes REALTORS® across the country and helps elect REALTOR® Party champions, and 137 of those races were won – bringing the success rate for this program to an 89.5% success rate.
On the state and local level, NAR’s State and Local Independent Expenditures (IE) Program supported more than 400 REALTOR® Party champions this year. The IE Program assists state and local associations that want to get involved in their areas. The program provides each state with funds that can be used to support candidates for political office who support REALTORS® and the real estate industry. As of last month, every state and D.C. has now participated in the program over its lifetime.
Lauren Bunting is a Broker with Keller Williams Realty of Delmarva in Ocean City, Maryland.
