| − | The Club for Growth was founded in 1999 by [[Stephen Moore]]; a senior economist at the [[Joint Economic Committee]] and a senior fellow at the [[The Cato Institute|Cato Institute]]<ref>[http://www.cato.org/people/moore.html CATO Institute, "Stephen Moore"] </ref>. The organization called on candidates to return to [[Ronald Reagan]]’s conservative “vision of limited government and lower taxes.” <ref>[http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=9345#1 People For The American Way,"Club for Growth - Activities"]</ref>. In 2002, the organization raised $9.2 million for the 2002 campaigns, and in the 2004 election, the organization heavily campaigned for low tax candidates; spending a total of $20 million on behalf of [[GOP]] candidates. They aired a 30-second television commercial which depicted [[Democrat | Democratic]] candidate, [[John Kerry]] as a spinning weather vane. To increase influence on sitting candidates after the 2004 election, the organization hired its first lobbyist. Soon after, former conservative Congressman, [[Patrick Toomey]], replaced Stephen Moore as organization leader. | + | The Club for Growth was founded in 1999 by [[Stephen Moore]]; a senior economist at the Joint Economic Committee and a senior fellow at the [[The Cato Institute|Cato Institute]]<ref>[http://www.cato.org/people/moore.html CATO Institute, "Stephen Moore"] </ref>. The organization called on candidates to return to [[Ronald Reagan]]’s conservative “vision of limited government and lower taxes.” <ref>[http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=9345#1 People For The American Way,"Club for Growth - Activities"]</ref>. In 2002, the organization raised $9.2 million for the 2002 campaigns, and in the 2004 election, the organization heavily campaigned for low tax candidates; spending a total of $20 million on behalf of [[GOP]] candidates. They aired a 30-second television commercial which depicted [[Democrat | Democratic]] candidate, [[John Kerry]] as a spinning weather vane. To increase influence on sitting candidates after the 2004 election, the organization hired its first lobbyist. Soon after, former conservative Congressman, [[Patrick Toomey]], replaced Stephen Moore as organization leader. |