Presidential election to pass $2B fundraising mark
Source: AP-Excite
By JACK GILLUM and BETH FOUHY
WASHINGTON (AP) - The 2012 presidential campaign was expected Thursday to pass the $2 billion mark in fundraising, according to accounting statements submitted to the government, thanks to an outpouring of cash from both ordinary citizens and the wealthiest Americans hoping to influence the selection of the country's next leader.
The eye-popping figure puts this election on track to be the costliest in history, fueled by a campaign finance system vastly altered by the proliferation of "super" political committees that are bankrolling a barrage of TV ads in battleground states.
President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney had brought in more than $1.5 billion through the end of September, according to previous fundraising reports submitted before the final pre-election accounting statements were due Thursday night. Obama hadn't yet disclosed his fundraising for early October, but Romney's campaign said it raised $111.8 million in the first two weeks. Added to that: more than $230 million in donations involving super PACs since 2011.
The largest of those were two pro-Romney groups. American Crossroads, a Republican-leaning super PAC with ties to former President George W. Bush's longtime political counselor Karl Rove, reported raising at least $68 million through September. Restore Our Future, founded by former Romney aides, reported raising $110 million so far. Priorities USA, a pro-Obama group founded by two former aides to the president, reported raising $50 million through last month.
FULL story at link.
Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20121025/DA24RDE02.html
progressivebydesign
(19,458 posts)Thanks Supreme Court. Thank you for fucking up our democracy.
lexw
(804 posts)wants this to be a close election
The Old Creak
(238 posts)this is allowed or expands, we are fucked. Period. End of story.
47of74
(18,470 posts)Instead of helping kids pay for education or fixing our roads or paying for teachers, firefighters, police, etc the money goes down this shithole.
secondvariety
(1,245 posts)Unless you own an ad agency, then it's golden.
Purveyor
(29,876 posts)woo me with science
(32,139 posts)FailureToCommunicate
(14,007 posts)20 or so flying or in the pipeline.