The Scoop
Franking, or the official communications sent out by Capitol Hill offices, is becoming a flashpoint in contested House elections.
Of the 10 biggest spenders on mail and official communications during the last quarter of 2025 and first quarter of 2026, nine of them face competitive primary or general elections, or are running for higher office, according to House disclosures.
One of them, Rep. April McClain Delaney, D-Md., spent about $380,000 on official communications during that time. She faces a primary challenge from her predecessor, former Rep. David Trone; Trone spokesperson Gaby Krevat said in a statement that McClain Delaney was “siphoning off nearly $400,000 in taxpayer funds to try to get herself re-elected — now the 7th most in all of Congress since David entered the race.”
McClain Delaney campaign manager Nick London dismissed the accusation as the “height of hypocrisy.”
“Communicating in a timely, effective, and empathetic manner is part of her and her office’s job, particularly during such uncertain and turbulent times,” London added.
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Official communications can be a potent tool for reaching constituents but are also subject to much stricter rules than messages sent through a lawmaker’s campaign. The practice of using official communications for campaign purposes has drawn scrutiny in recent years and has even been the subject of ethics investigations.
As the line blurs between the official business of Congress and politicking, the paid messages can fall into an ethical gray area, too. Billboards placed by Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich., calling for President Donald Trump’s impeachment raised eyebrows in the Democratic caucus, and he spent over $955,000 over those two quarters on official mailed and mass communications. The top spender on mailed communications, Rep. Young Kim, R-Calif., spent about $537,000 during the six-month period, as she faced off against another Republican lawmaker in a redrawn district.