Bundling
Definition
The practice of a well-connected individual, a "bundler," collecting many separate contributions from other donors and delivering them together to a campaign. This lets the campaign credit one person with far more than any single legal contribution limit allows.
Why it matters
Individual contribution limits are meant to cap any one donor's influence, but bundling turns a network of maxed-out donors into a single lever of access and gratitude that the candidate attributes to the bundler, buying influence in bulk while staying within per-person limits.
Seen in the wild
George W. Bush's 2000 campaign formalized the practice with its "Pioneers," volunteers who each pledged to raise $100,000. The 2004 campaign added $200,000 "Rangers."1 Federal law now requires lobbyist bundlers who raise more than a set threshold, $24,000 for calendar year 2026, to be disclosed on FEC Form 3L.2