National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Election Comm’n · ¶32

In light of those day-to-day activities, parties and candidates have traditionally coordinated during campaigns. That coordination has formed “the essence of our Nation’s party system of government.” Colorado II, 533 U. S., at 477 (THOMAS, J., dissenting). For nearly 200 years after the ratification of the First Amendment, parties could spend freely to support their candidates during campaigns and could do so in coordination with the candidates. Notably, no one suggests “that these elections were not functional or that they were marred by corruption.” Id., at 473 (quotation marks and citation omitted).

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