David Vance

National Media Strategist

Expertise

Meet David…

David Vance is the National Media Strategist for Common Cause. He works with staff at the national and state level to generate media to amplify the voice and strategically advance the democracy reform agenda of the national organization and its 35 state offices.

Prior to joining Common Cause in 2016, David spent a decade as the director of communications and research at the Campaign Legal Center, working on campaign finance, voting rights and government ethics issues. During his time there, the media profile of the organization grew exponentially and in 2014 it received a MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions.

David has an extensive background in public relations and journalism. He has served as public affairs director for an international trade association and worked for two public relations firms in Washington, DC where he handled public affairs, public relations and crisis issues both nationally and internationally for a broad range of corporate, association and non-profit clients.

Before entering the public relations field, David worked for several news bureaus in Washington, DC, WCAX-TV in Burlington, Vermont as well as The Washington Post.

David is a native of Washington, DC and holds an M.S.J. from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from George Mason University.

The Latest From David Vance

Inspectors General Must Review Travel & Expenses of High Flying Cabinet

Press Release

Inspectors General Must Review Travel & Expenses of High Flying Cabinet

Government scrutiny of the travel abuses by cabinet members must continue despite the resignation of Tom Price. Questionable and excessive travel costs are being regularly unearthed by the media. The inspector general of every department and agency should review travel and other expense compliance of top appointees.

Common Cause Commends Introduction of We The People Act by Sen. Udall & Rep. Price

Press Release

Common Cause Commends Introduction of We The People Act by Sen. Udall & Rep. Price

At a time when too many Americans do not think they have a meaningful voice in their democracy, when confidence in our institutions is at historic lows, and cynicism at record highs, this democracy reform package is needed more than ever. These reforms are working at the state level, empowering citizens and breaking down barriers to participation for all Americans, irrespective of political party.

Groups Urge Senators to Carefully Scrutinize FEC Nominee’s Controversial Record

Press Release

Groups Urge Senators to Carefully Scrutinize FEC Nominee’s Controversial Record

Today, ten organizations urged Senators to carefully weigh the highly controversial record of James E. “Trey” Trainor III, President Donald Trump’s nominee to the Federal Election Commission (FEC). In a letter to the full Senate, the groups emphasized that Trainor, a Texas campaign finance attorney who served as counsel to the president’s campaign committee, has taken a number of hostile stances against existing campaign finance laws.

Facebook Campaign Spending Draws FEC Complaints from Common Cause

Press Release

Facebook Campaign Spending Draws FEC Complaints from Common Cause

Today Common Cause filed complaints with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) alleging that Michael Waddell, the host of the hunting show “Bone Collector”, and a Wisconsin businessman made illegal undisclosed independent expenditures in connection with the 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns of Donald Trump. Additionally, Waddell appears to have made excessive in-kind contributions during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Common Cause Files Supreme Court Brief in Challenge to Ohio Voter Roll Purges

Press Release

Common Cause Files Supreme Court Brief in Challenge to Ohio Voter Roll Purges

On Friday, Common Cause filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Institute, in support of a challenge to Ohio’s aggressive voter roll purge program that stripped hundreds of thousands of Ohioans of their right to vote prior to the 2016 election. The brief focuses on a similar program in Georgia that also disenfranchised hundreds of thousands of voters and which Common Cause has challenged in court. The Husted brief emphasizes that the High Court’s decision will impact similar programs and...

21 States’ Election Infrastructure Targeted By Russian Hackers

Press Release

21 States’ Election Infrastructure Targeted By Russian Hackers

Today’s revelations from DHS that 21 state election systems were targeted by Russian hackers is troubling on a number of levels. First it should never have taken the federal government so long to share this information with the targeted states. Perhaps most disturbing is the fact that some states have told reporters that they were unaware of being targeted.

Late Facebook Response Does Not Remove Responsibility Congress and Regulators to Increase Transparency

Press Release

Late Facebook Response Does Not Remove Responsibility Congress and Regulators to Increase Transparency

Americans have a right to know who is trying to influence their vote—whether hostile foreign nations like Russia, corporate front groups, or wealthy special interests. Facebook’s announcement this afternoon that it shared evidence of fake Facebook accounts and Russian political ads with Special Counsel Mueller and Congressional investigators was slow in coming but it is a step forward as are the broad brushstroke descriptions of their new policies.

In Seattle Common Cause & CLC File Brief in New Challenge to Citizen-Financed Elections

Press Release

In Seattle Common Cause & CLC File Brief in New Challenge to Citizen-Financed Elections

Today, Common Cause and the Campaign Legal Center filed an amici brief in Washington State’s King County Superior Court in Elster v. City of Seattle in support of the city’s campaign finance voucher program. The brief makes clear that the Seattle program is consistent with a host of other citizen-funded elections programs upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court since campaign finance reforms were enacted in the wake of the Watergate scandals to curb the buying and selling of influence in the halls of government.

Gov. Snyder Takes Michigan Backwards By Signing Special Interest Campaign Finance Bills

Press Release

Gov. Snyder Takes Michigan Backwards By Signing Special Interest Campaign Finance Bills

Governor Rick Snyder was quick to sign two bills today that will increase the influence of special interests in Michigan. SB 335 and SB 336 are unacceptable attacks on the democratic process by expanding the damage from the Supreme Court’s disastrous 2010 Citizens United decision in Michigan. Common Cause had organized its 30,000 Michigan members to email and call Gov. Snyder, urging him to veto the bills.

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