▁Ker rey ▁( D - NE ). ▁Senator ▁McC ain ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁position ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 1 – 2 0 0 5 . ▁Senator ▁Ker rey ▁was ▁associated ▁with ▁the ▁committee ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁ ▁The ▁inst itute ▁was ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁broad ▁coal ition ▁that ▁successfully ▁secured ▁passage ▁of ▁the ▁B ipart isan ▁Camp aign ▁Reform ▁Act ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁– ▁also ▁known ▁as ▁McC ain - Fe ing old ▁– ▁the ▁campaign ▁fin ance ▁reform ▁legisl ation ▁that ▁among ▁other ▁things ▁prohib ited ▁soft ▁money ▁contributions . ▁The ▁Institute ▁then ▁turned ▁its ▁focus ▁to ▁def ending ▁the ▁law ▁against ▁Constitution al ▁challenge ▁and ▁ens uring ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁properly ▁enfor ced ▁by ▁advoc ating ▁for ▁the ▁rest ruct uring ▁of ▁the ▁Federal ▁E lection ▁Commission ▁( F EC ) ▁and ▁calling ▁for ▁reg ulation ▁of ▁ 5 2 7 ▁groups ▁operating ▁outside ▁the ▁law ' s ▁soft ▁money ▁ban . ▁ ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁its ▁work ▁at ▁the ▁federal ▁level , ▁the ▁inst itute ▁also ▁engaged ▁in ▁efforts ▁at ▁the ▁state ▁and ▁local ▁level ▁to ▁en act ▁re forms ▁including ▁initi atives ▁on ▁public ▁campaign ▁fund ing ▁of ▁state ▁and ▁local ▁elections , ▁red istrict ing ▁reform ▁to ▁eliminate ▁Ger ry m and ering ▁of ▁elect oral ▁districts , ▁ball ot ▁access , ▁open ▁prim aries , ▁and ▁election ▁administration ▁and ▁vot er ▁assistance . ▁ ▁After ▁passage ▁of ▁the ▁McC ain - Fe ing old ▁bill ▁the ▁Institute ▁expanded