By The Argument
Ellen Mellody of KCSA Strategic Communications published an op-ed arguing that the cannabis industry’s courtship of Republican lawmakers contributed to its election night setback. She wrote that “the industry’s pursuit of Republican gatekeepers has come at the expense of priorities such as patient protections, home cultivation and social equity, treating them as bargaining chips rather than principles worth defending.”
Mellody, a veteran of the Clinton White House and presidential campaigns, said the industry has sometimes strengthened ties with Republican leadership at the expense of longstanding Democratic allies. She called the midterms a lesson in political arithmetic rather than a national referendum on cannabis.
She pointed to state results as revealing signals. In Massachusetts, roughly 76 percent of voters rejected an effort to repeal recreational marijuana sales.
In Idaho, about two-thirds of voters rejected an amendment that would have stripped voters of the ability to legalize marijuana through citizen initiatives.
A recent Kansas survey found 65 percent support for medical cannabis, including 72 percent of Democrats and 59 percent of Republicans. Mellody concluded that voters are not the problem, but the industry’s political strategy is.
The Money Trail
Mellody cited America First Agriculture Action, a PAC funded by major cannabis companies, which raised $13 million and by September 22 had spent more than $3.7 million helping a dozen Republican House incumbents.
In Pennsylvania, Spotlight PA documented more than $1.6 million spent lobbying by 26 cannabis interests in 2024.
She noted the disclosures do not establish which party received the lobbying attention, but they establish that companies can find money for influence.
She described a “false prophet problem,” warning that the most dangerous political messenger is one who promises salvation, collects loyalty and fails to deliver.
She also acknowledged that Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) had a chance to advance legalization under Democratic control and did not deliver, and that Democrats deserve scrutiny too.
The Prescription
Mellody’s answer is not for the industry to become a Democratic industry, but a genuinely nonpartisan one that supports lawmakers based on their records.
She urged the industry to publish legislative scorecards, coordinate political giving and demand measurable results from lobbyists.
She called for rebuilding grassroots capacity and investing in patients, veterans, small operators and communities harmed by prohibition.
She recommended supporting organizations such as Marijuana Policy Project, NORML, Americans for Safe Access and Students for Sensible Drug Policy, rather than expecting them to organize on scraps.
She wrote that the election offered the industry an opportunity to rethink its political strategy and recognize that flattery is no substitute for results, noting that Trump still holds the veto pen.
