Political Violence Drives Soaring Security Costs for Candidates

Report finds campaign security spending has jumped fivefold over the past decade amid escalating threats

Apr. 9, 2026 at 10:42am

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A serene, cinematic painting of a dimly lit political campaign office, with a single desk and chair bathed in warm, diagonal sunlight, conveying a sense of solitude and vulnerability in the face of escalating threats.The rising costs of security for political candidates reflect the growing threats and challenges they face in the current climate of political violence.Provo Today

A new report from the Public Service Alliance reveals that federal political committees spent over $40 million on security expenses during the 2023-24 campaign cycle, a fivefold increase over the past decade. The rise in security costs is attributed to an increasingly hostile political environment leading to escalating threats against public officials, ranging from doxing to assassination plots.

Why it matters

The report highlights the growing challenges and costs candidates and elected officials face in ensuring their personal safety and that of their staff and supporters, as political violence and threats have become more commonplace. This trend could impact the ability of some candidates to run for office and may discourage civic participation.

The details

The Public Service Alliance, a nonpartisan group focused on security for public officials, found that federal political committees spent over $40 million on security expenses during the 2023-24 campaign cycle, the most recent data available. This represents a fivefold increase in security spending over the past decade, driven by an increasingly hostile political environment and escalating threats against public officials, including doxing and assassination plots.

  • The report was released on April 9, 2026.

The players

Public Service Alliance

A nonpartisan group that focuses on security for public officials and released the report on the rise in campaign security spending.

Nancy Pelosi

The former Democratic Speaker of the House, whose husband was the victim of a hammer attack.

Charlie Kirk

A conservative commentator who was assassinated.

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The takeaway

The escalating costs of candidate security highlight the growing challenges of political violence and threats in the current climate, which could impact the ability of some to run for office and discourage civic participation. This trend underscores the need for measures to address the root causes of political polarization and violence.