Ted Cruz Wins Supreme Court Campaign-Finance Case on Free-Speech Grounds

© Marco Bello/Reuters Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) speaks at the CPAC conference in Orlando, Fla., February 24, 2022.

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in favor of Senator Ted Cruz (R., Texas) on Monday, striking down a rule that prevented him from repaying debt from his 2018 Senatorial campaign.

The case, FEC v. Cruz, was brought after Cruz attempted to repay his campaign’s considerable debt with political contributions raised in his name. Section 304 of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 limited the use of contributions in excess of $250,000 to repay debt. In an opinion for the conservative majority, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the law “abridges First Amendment rights” of donors and the candidate.

Cruz’s campaign against former Democratic Congressman Beto O’Rourke, now running for Governor of Texas, was highly contested and, at the time, the most expensive Senate election in history. A combined $126 million was raised by both candidates during the race.

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