MapLight has conducted an analysis of independent expenditures made by super PACs across the country from Jan. 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012 and found that almost $138 million has been funneled by big-monied interests to dictate outcomes of the 2012 election.
Super PACs have already made over $30 million in independent expenditures to influence House and Senate races in the 2012 election cycle, in addition to the nearly $107 million spent swaying the outcome of the race for the White House.
Top Ten Congressional Candidates Attracting the Most Independent Expenditures, Both For and Against, From Super PACs
| Candidate | Party | Office | State | Independent Expenditures Against |
Independent | Grand Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEWHURST, DAVID H. | R | Senate | TX | $2,481,769 | $398,000 | $2,879,769 |
| CRUZ, RAFAEL EDWARD "TED" | R | Senate | TX | $2,338,078 | $172,633 | $2,510,711 |
| KAINE, TIMOTHY MICHAEL | D | Senate | VA | $729,658 | $1,035,650 | $1,765,308 |
| MOURDOCK, RICHARD E. | R | Senate | IN | $571,941 | $926,314 | $1,498,255 |
| LUGAR, RICHARD G. | R | Senate | IN | $1,332,226 | $13,500 | $1,345,726 |
| MCCASKILL, CLAIRE | D | Senate | MO | $75,567 | $901,868 | $977,435 |
| HATCH, ORRIN G. | R | Senate | UT | $938,219 | $8,000 | $946,219 |
| KEADLE, SCOTT | R | House | NC | $380,725 | $526,059 | $906,784 |
| BRUNING, JON C. | R | Senate | NE | $838,924 | $28,756 | $867,680 |
| MANDEL, JOSH | R | Senate | OH | $708,356 | $75,264 | $783,620 |
Click here to download a spreadsheet to see how much super PACs have spent to influence races in your state.
METHODOLOGY: MapLight analysis of independent expenditures made by "super PACs" from Jan. 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012 for and against Senate, House, and presidential candidates in the 2012 election cycle. Contribution data source: Federal Election Commission.