A guide to political money: campaigns, PACs, super PACs

In this April 17, 2015, photo, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush smiles while speaking to reporters after a "Politics and Eggs" event, a breakfast fixture for 2016 presidential prospects at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H. Bush is preparing to embark on an experiment in presidential politics: delegating many of the nuts-and-bolts tasks of seeking the White House to a separate political organization that can raise unlimited amounts of campaign cash. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) In this April 17, 2015, photo, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush smiles while speaking to reporters after a "Politics and Eggs" event, a breakfast fixture for 2016 presidential prospects at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H. Bush is preparing to embark on an experiment in presidential politics: delegating many of the nuts-and-bolts tasks of seeking the White House to a separate political organization that can raise unlimited amounts of campaign cash. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

By Associated Press April 21, 2015 3 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – A presidential candidate says he or she is running for president, raises cash for the campaign and spends it, right? That’s not the whole story these days.

Here is a look at all of the campaign-style organizations that White House hopefuls and their allies can tap to chase the top prize in American politics.

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OFFICIAL CAMPAIGNS

When voters think of a presidential campaign, this is what comes to mind: a central organization with the candidate at its top. The candidate makes the strategic decisions in consultation with advisers, and the person whose name is on the ballot has the final say.