Celebrating 50 years of the REALTOR® PAC

Annie ChanAdvocacy

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC), one of the largest trade association PACs in the country. That’s 50 years of advocating for homeowner rights and working to keep REALTORS® at the center of the real estate transaction.

In 1969, the National Association of REALTORS® formed REPAC, the Real Estate Political Action Committee, as one of the first political organizations of its kind in the industry. Landmark legislation affecting housing, taxation, finance and urban development signaled the need for REALTORS® to be engaged at the national level. REPAC (renamed RPAC in 1974) solicited voluntary contributions from the Association’s members and pooled those funds to make contributions to candidates running for public office.

“Fifty years ago, REALTORS® from across the country got together because they were tired of legislation happening to them. They wanted it to happen with them,” said Spokane’s Tom Hormel, state RPAC Trustees Chair, addressing over 500 REALTORS® in January at Washington REALTORS® Legislative Hill Day. “RPAC helps us work with elected officials on housing issues.”

As the only advocacy group in America that fights exclusively for homeownership, real estate investment, strong communities and the free enterprise system, RPAC is not focused on the right or the left. It is focused solely on the issues that matter to existing and future homeowners and the real estate industry.

Through millions of dollars given directly to candidates at the local, state and national levels throughout the years, RPAC has given REALTORS® a key voice on land use, housing finance, ownership rights and more.

“I’ve been in the business 21 years and in the beginning, I didn’t understand RPAC,” said Hormel. “But I’ve seen its power and influence on issues that affect our clients and our business every day.”

Learn more about how RPAC works to protect your business.

You can make your RPAC contribution do double duty at the RPAC Wine and Spirits Auction on April 18 in Bellevue. Save the date for dinner, drinks and a celebration of 50 years of RPAC – more details to come!