Rightwing lobbies and dark money funders backing assaults on voting rights

Election watchdogs say rightwing groups seek to enact voting restrictions in critical states, from Arizona to Pennsylvania - states that Republicans need to win back

The conservative campaign to curb voting rights has helped spur passage of bills in at least 18 states and, backed by big money, is now widening its scope across the US in a concerted effort to suppress the vote and favor Republicans, say election law experts and watchdogs.

The lobbying and media drive is aiming to spend tens of millions of dollars and is led by well funded conservative and dark money groups, some of whom are also pressing Congress to block Democratic-backed bills to protect voting rights nationally, say watchdogs and election law experts.