WASHINGTON (AP) – Nearly all of the contenders for president are encouraging their deep-pocketed donors to give not just to their campaigns, but to groups known as super PACs as well.
Unlike campaigns, these outside groups aren’t limited in how much money they can accept from individual donors. While they can’t directly take orders from the candidates they’re spending money to help elect, they still account for about $2 of every $3 raised so far in the 2016 race for president.
Many super PACs must file their first fundraising reports with federal regulators by midnight Friday. The super PAC filings will detail how money was raised and spent from January to the end of June and include the names of donors.
Two weeks ago, many of the candidates filed their first campaign fundraising reports. Together, the reports from the super PACs and the candidates will produce the first major accounting of who is paying for the campaign for president.
Here is a guide to what’s already known about the presidential super PACs, based on information provided by the groups and their official filings with the Federal Election Commission.