A political nonprofit long led by Oregon's powerful public employee unions wants to set campaign contribution limits in the state — and kill a competing 2024 ballot proposal by campaign finance reformers that would enact tighter limits and stricter ad disclosures.

Top Democrats’ campaign finance proposals could protect the ability of membership organizations such as labor unions and business associations to continue pouring millions of dollars into candidates’ campaigns. They would also allow corporations and unions to continue giving directly to candidates.

Democratic state Sen. Jeff Golden of Ashland is among the Oregon Legislature’s most vocal proponents of campaign contribution limits. His fellow Democrats and their political allies independently spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on Golden's reelction.

Political spending on the Oregon governor's race nearly doubled from four years ago. The state is one of just five in the nation without campaign contribution limits.