The Supreme Court’s 2010 ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission rocked the world of campaign finance. Suddenly, mega-donors could pump unlimited, undisclosed money into outside groups that advocate for a preferred candidate and/or against another.
In the 2012 cycle, big-money super political action committees, or super PACs, kept former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in the game far longer than they would otherwise have been able. This time, some candidates have already lined up their big-money patrons, and others are still jockeying for such donors. But the potential of big-money support is enough for many candidates to hold out hope that they can catch on and watch the money roll in.
