# openfec.candidate_search

**beta** **Advanced**

Search FEC candidates by name.

`GET /v1/openfec/candidate_search`

> [!NOTE] **Beta.** This endpoint has not yet been verified against the live source, so fields may be missing or differ until it becomes stable. Failed calls are refunded.

## What you get

A list of Openfec results in Onekey's unified shape, in `data` (an array). An empty array is a normal, successful answer and is charged like any other; a source that reports "nothing found" as an error returns a free `404 not_found` instead.

## What it costs

- **Advanced · 5 credits** for a fresh fetch, charged only when it succeeds.
- **Free when served from cache (0.2 credit for a cached response over 100 KB).**
- **Free** if the request is invalid (never charged) or the source fails or reports not found (refunded).

## Parameters

| Name | Type | Required | Default | What it is | Constraints |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `q` | string | yes | (required) | Search text | max 80 chars; must match `[\w .,'&+:()-]{1,80}`; trimmed, repeated spaces collapsed |
| `per_page` | string | no | `20` | Rows (1-100) | max 3 chars; must match `[1-9]\d?\|100`; trimmed |

## Request

```bash
curl "https://api.onekey.dev/v1/openfec/candidate_search?q=biden&per_page=3" \
  -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY"
```

```python
import requests

res = requests.get(
    "https://api.onekey.dev/v1/openfec/candidate_search",
    params={"q": "biden", "per_page": "3"},
    headers={"x-api-key": "YOUR_API_KEY"},
)
body = res.json()

if body["success"]:
    print(body["data"])
else:
    print(body["error"]["code"], body["error"]["message"])
```

```javascript
const params = new URLSearchParams({ q: "biden", per_page: "3" });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.onekey.dev/v1/openfec/candidate_search?${params}`, {
  headers: { "x-api-key": "YOUR_API_KEY" },
});
const body = await res.json();

if (body.success) console.log(body.data);
else console.error(body.error.code, body.error.message);
```

## Recorded response

A real Openfec response, recorded and returned in Onekey's shape. Fields the platform does not provide are `null`.

```json
{
  "success": true,
  "data": [
    {
      "entity": {
        "id": "P60012143",
        "name": "BIDEN, JOE R",
        "category": "DEMOCRATIC PARTY",
        "status": "US"
      },
      "ext": {
        "office": "President",
        "status": "N",
        "electionYears": [
          2016
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "entity": {
        "id": "P80000722",
        "name": "BIDEN, JOSEPH R JR",
        "category": "DEMOCRATIC PARTY",
        "status": "US"
      },
      "ext": {
        "office": "President",
        "status": "P",
        "electionYears": [
          1988,
          2008,
          2020,
          2024
        ]
      }
    }
  ],
  "metadata": {
    "platform": "openfec",
    "endpoint": "candidate_search",
    "cached": false,
    "stale": false,
    "age_s": 0,
    "fetched_at": "2026-01-01T12:00:00+00:00",
    "credits_charged": 5,
    "request_id": "7f3a9c2e5b1d4c8fa2e6d0b9c4f18e37"
  },
  "error": null
}
```

## Field mapping

How this endpoint's source fields become Onekey's [unified schema](https://onekey.dev/docs/schema.md). Fields the source lacks come back as `null`.

| Source path | Onekey field | Transform |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `candidate_id` | `entity.id` | - |
| `name` | `entity.name` | - |
| `party_full` | `entity.category` | - |
| `office_full` | `ext.office` | - |
| `state` | `entity.status` | - |
| `candidate_status` | `ext.status` | - |
| `election_years` | `ext.electionYears` | - |

## Caching and freshness

- Fresh for about 2 minutes. Repeat calls in that window are served from cache and are free.
- Between 2 minutes and 15 minutes the cached copy is still served instantly and marked `stale: true` while Onekey refreshes it in the background.
- If the source is down when a refresh is needed, the last copy can be served for up to 1 hour more (marked stale).
- A "not found" is remembered for 1 minute and is free.
- The cache is shared across all customers, which is what keeps repeat calls cheap.

## What can go wrong

| Status | Code | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 401 | `unauthorized` | Check the `x-api-key` header. |
| 402 | `insufficient_credits` | [Add credits](https://onekey.dev/pricing); your balance must cover the price. |
| 404 | `not_found` | Unknown endpoint path. |
| 422 | `invalid_params` | Fix the parameters using the table above. Free. |
| 429 | `rate_limited` | Wait `Retry-After` seconds, then retry. |
| 502 | `upstream_error` | The source failed. Refunded; retry with backoff. |

See [Errors](https://onekey.dev/docs/errors.md) for the full list and retry guidance.

Status: beta (not yet verified against the live source).