SuperPACs raise $26 million in 2011
(CNN) – Twenty-six million dollars was raised by Super PACs in the first half of 2011, 83 percent of which came from five groups, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission.
The five groups that accounted for $22 million of the total were: Restore Our Future, American Crossroads, Priorities USA Action, American Bridge 21st Century and Majority PAC, according to the Sunlight Foundation.
Super PACs, as defined by the foundation, are independent groups allowed to raise unlimited amounts from individuals, labor unions, corporations and other political committees in support of candidates without coordinating with them. The groups played a pivotal role in the 2010 midterm elections raising unprecedented totals used toward campaign efforts.
Restore Our Future, the Super-PAC fundraising in support of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney raised $12.23 million and has $12.2 cash-on-hand.
The conservative American Crossroads raised $3.9 million and has $3.3 cash-on-hand. Crossroads was founded by Karl Rove, former political adviser to former President George W. Bush and former Republican National Committee Chairmen Ed Gillespie and Mike Duncan. The group spent $70 million in the 2010 midterm elections backing GOP candidates.
Priorities USA Action, the Democratic group that emerged after the 2010 elections to compete with independent Republican groups raised $3.9 million and has $1.8 cash-on-hand. Two former staff members in President Barack Obama's White House, Bill Burton and Sean Sweeney started the group with Paul Begala, a top political adviser to former President Bill Clinton and a CNN contributor.
The Democratic American Bridge 21st Century, aimed at electing Democrats to the Senate raised $1.5 million in the first half of the year and has $895,644 cash-on-hand.
Majority PAC, a third-party group established to support Democratic senators, raised over $1 million in the last six months and has over $1 million cash-on-hand.
