Helped by looser fundraising rules, about two dozen organizations intended to benefit Republicans are active this fall in House and Senate races; fewer than 10 are aimed at helping Democrats. Ad spending by GOP allies over the past two months has totaled nearly $30 million in 15 states with competitive Senate or House races; Democratic outside groups have spent less than $5 million.
The financial advantage by outside GOP groups makes up for anemic fundraising by the Republican Party. The party's national committees trail their Democratic counterparts in overall contributions and overall cash on hand.
The GOP groups appear to be benefiting from a Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that freed big business — which typically leans Republican — to spend their millions directly to sway federal elections. What's more, several of the groups are set up as nonprofit corporations under the Internal Revenue Service code, and they don't have to reveal their donors."You've gone to a world where the Supreme Court has said corporations have a constitutional right to do this spending," said Trevor Potter, a campaign finance lawyer who was counsel to John McCain's Republican presidential campaign. "That green light has been very important."
For more, see Republican Groups Overwhelm Democrats with TV Ads by , September 27, 2010 at The Huffington Post.
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