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Mitt Romney’s Super PACs Easily Outraise the Obama Campaign

Mitt Romneys Super PACs Easily Outraise the Obama CampaignWASHINGTON (The Blaze/AP) — Major donors supporting President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney spent millions of dollars last month to get their candidate elected, but new financial filings released Wednesday show that outside political groups helping Romney are reaping a growing share of that fundraising largess.

The new disclosures posted late Wednesday night by a Republican “super” political committee formed by veteran strategist Karl Rove (also known “The Man Nancy Pelosi Could Have Arrested, Like, Anytime She Wanted”) show the super PAC he formed to help GOP causes group reaped $4.6 million in May. That will aid Romney, as will a separate $8 million boost announced earlier in the day from another super PAC, Restore Our Future.

Both multimillion-dollar totals are impressive boosts from a month earlier and signs that GOP political committees are widening the financial gap over their struggling Democratic Party rivals. The calculus raises the specter that President Obama, who broke fundraising records four years ago by hauling in $750 million, may be the first incumbent president to be out-raised by his opponent. Super PACs can raise and spend unlimited amounts of cash but can’t coordinate their efforts with the candidates they support.

Both the president and Romney’s national campaigns also showed strong fundraising hauls in May. Romney’s campaign joined with the Republican Party to raise more than $76 million last month, outpacing Obama and the Democrats’ $60 million haul during the same period.Mitt Romneys Super PACs Easily Outraise the Obama Campaign

But the GOP-supportive “super” political committees — operating under relaxed campaign-finance regulations — are expected to bring in more than $1 billion this election, according to an Associated Press review of past campaign spending data and fundraising projections. That includes cash that outside groups have spent on expensive advertising critical of President Obama and multimillion-dollar Spanish-language ads the president has purchased to advertise against Romney.

Restore Our Future has raised $64 million so far, and spent more than $55 million to defeat Romney’s opponents during the GOP primary, and it plans high-dollar financial aid from both Romney supporters and his former opponents’ donors.

Indeed, the latest financial filings for one of the top pro-Romney PAC shows that while he was consolidating his position as the GOP favorite, backers of some of his opponents were shifting their financial allegiance to his cause — even as some of his loyal super PAC backers dug deeper to bankroll the committee’s operations.

The biggest contributions to Restore Our Future came from a trio of firms linked to a Houston-based businessman who previously backed a super PAC supporting Romney rival Texas Gov. Rick Perry. The disclosures show that three companies based at the same post office box office in Dayton, Oh., each gave $333,333 to the pro-Romney super PAC. Corporation records show the firms are headed by Houston businessman Robert T. Brockman.

Mitt Romneys Super PACs Easily Outraise the Obama CampaignKarl Rove

Although super PACs are required to divulge major donors, loose disclosure rules allow contributors to withhold their names and mask their donations by setting up corporations to maintain their anonymity. One of Restore Our Future’s early donors, Edward Conard, masked a $1 million contribution last year behind an unknown company, W Spann LLC, until public pressure forced him to acknowledge his name and affiliation with Romney’s former private equity firm, Bain Capital.

Meanwhile, Obama’s campaign reported $109.7 million in the bank at the end of May but spent more than it took in during the same period. The campaign collected $39.1 million and spent $44.5 million during the month. The Democratic Party, meanwhile, had $29.6 million cash on hand at end of the month, raising about $20 million during the period and spending $14.6 million.

A super PAC working in Obama’s favor, Priorities USA Action, reported raising $4 million last month. The group said their contributions in May marked its best fundraising month so far, while calling its financial support a sign of the PAC’s growing momentum.

Even with outside financial strength, Romney is taking few chances at being outspent by his opponent. His campaign is hosting a retreat in Utah this weekend for contributors who raised tens of thousands of dollars for his campaign. GOP heavyweights like former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice are expected to attend.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Comments (36)

  • The Third Archon
    Posted on June 21, 2012 at 4:24pm

    “MITT ROMNEY’S SUPER PACS EASILY OUTRAISE TEAM OBAMA”
    So, does this mean conservatives are dropping the fabricated narrative that they are the pecuniary underdogs in comparison to the “vast funding of the Democratic machine”?

    Report Post » The Third Archon  
  • Guitar Master
    Posted on June 21, 2012 at 1:41pm

    zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
    From THE REPORTER
    zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

    Not a word, from Mr. Romney, on the Congressional contempt charge against Mr. Holder.

    The Bilderburg group wouldn’t approve !

    Mr. Romney > flat tire

    Report Post »  
  • aChameleon
    Posted on June 21, 2012 at 1:31pm

    Whenever I hear the words: I’m barack obama and i approved this message, I frantically grab the remote like it‘s an epipen and I’m going into anaphylactic shock. Gotta hit mute or change the channel before he gets three seconds into the commercial. Any money obama raises for commercials is wasted on me.

    Report Post » aChameleon  
  • Individualism
    Posted on June 21, 2012 at 12:44pm

    so Romney is more bought and paid for than Obama sad. Gary Johnson 2012, i want a president not a puppet.

    Report Post » Individualism  
    • barber2
      Posted on June 21, 2012 at 1:01pm

      Ho Ho. We know you are voting for Obama . Duh.

      Report Post »  
    • dmerwin
      Posted on June 21, 2012 at 1:11pm

      See QPWILLIEs post a couple down.

      Report Post » dmerwin  
    • soybomb315
      Posted on June 21, 2012 at 3:34pm

      @dmerwin
      The post below was QP rambling about Ron Paul. This post is about Gary Johnson. Confused?

      Report Post » soybomb315  
    • soybomb315
      Posted on June 21, 2012 at 4:09pm

      If america finds out about Gary Johnson, the Democrats and Republicans are in trouble

      Report Post » soybomb315  
  • dmerwin
    Posted on June 21, 2012 at 12:36pm

    Notice that the guy that “brings a gun to a knife fight” uses every technique and strategy available to limit the opponents use of weaponry.

    Report Post » dmerwin  
  • dmerwin
    Posted on June 21, 2012 at 12:34pm

    When the party base consists of a smattering of really rich liberals and the 49% of americans who are benefit recipients and pay no taxes it is easy to see where they MUST get their money. In as many fundraisers Obama has held he must have met EVERY one of the rich liberals at least once. They may feel they’ve done enough. Now IF we can get coerced union dues out of the mix the liberals will really be hurting, on this very narrow issue I agree with Rachel Maddow.

    Report Post » dmerwin  
  • Popp40
    Posted on June 21, 2012 at 12:22pm

    It’s funny how the WH is demanding the names for all those who donated to the GOP Super Pacs…yet they just declare Executive Privilege on the Fast and Furious.

    Report Post »  
    • CatB
      Posted on June 21, 2012 at 12:36pm

      Don’t forget in the last election .. Obama did not comply with the law regarding donations. They had overseas bundlers that they refused to prove were from American Citizens (kind of like a lot to do with Obama .. you have trouble proving a lie)

      Report Post »  
    • barber2
      Posted on June 21, 2012 at 1:12pm

      And don’t forget the Lefty Democrats are all a bunch of 99% hypocrites. Sort of bubbles up from their Big Lie basic foundation.

      Report Post »  
  • oldduffer
    Posted on June 21, 2012 at 12:22pm

    Hey Hollyweird, we gave up cable and movies and guess where some of that white privileged money is going. Romney and various American Patriot politicians running for office against you Obama butt kissers.

    Report Post »  
  • qpwillie
    Posted on June 21, 2012 at 12:21pm

    Pffft, that’s nothing. Ron Paul gets more than both of them at every fundraiser and 127% of the military people support him plus, he has 99.8% of the delegates but the evil neocon, Bilderberg, progressive, NDAA voting GOP is hiding all that.

    Report Post » qpwillie  
    • jsciai
      Posted on June 21, 2012 at 12:42pm

      Hey QPdoll,

      Yeah, RP gets so much money in campain contributions that he had to suspend active campaining in the last, what was it, 20+ primaries? Sen Ron Paul’s Words: “Moving forward, however, we will no longer spend resources campaigning in primaries in states that have not yet voted. Doing so with any hope of success would take many tens of millions of dollars we simply do not have.”

      But don’t worry, West Coast P has it all figured out with the special, super secret lawsuit to steal the nomination at the last hour and TRIUMPH Over EVIL at last. BWAHAHAHAHA.

      Report Post » jsciai  
    • Liberty_Effect
      Posted on June 21, 2012 at 12:45pm

      you are obsessed

      Report Post » Liberty_Effect  
    • dmerwin
      Posted on June 21, 2012 at 1:09pm

      Willie this is a great post. Sums up the Pauliacs in one concise easy paragraph.

      Report Post » dmerwin  
    • Dustoff
      Posted on June 21, 2012 at 2:06pm

      Loon… no other way to put it.

      Report Post » Dustoff  
    • qpwillie
      Posted on June 21, 2012 at 3:18pm

      @Liberty_Effect and Dustoff
      Those are not very nice things to say about someone who is agreeing with you.

      Report Post » qpwillie  
    • soybomb315
      Posted on June 21, 2012 at 3:27pm

      No QP – the post was at you.

      An article comes out about Romney and Obama and you immediately think of Ron Paul (nobody had even said anything). You are a troubled person, seek help

      Report Post » soybomb315  
    • qpwillie
      Posted on June 21, 2012 at 4:49pm

      @soybomb315
      Oh, but they were about to start. EVERY time any politician who is not Ron Paul is mentioned, the Paulbots start frothing ad the mouth. I know what they’re going to say because they all say the same thing, over and over and over and over……………
      I was just helping them out.

      Report Post » qpwillie  
    • qpwillie
      Posted on June 21, 2012 at 5:08pm

      @soybomb315
      “No QP – the post was at you.”

      I know it was about me. It wasn’t very nice of you either. Here I was saving you the time by typing what you were going to say. ..And this is the thanks I get!!!

      Report Post » qpwillie  
    • soybomb315
      Posted on June 21, 2012 at 5:21pm

      you seem to represent everything that is wrong with this country. Argumentative, inciting, and disrespectful of others

      Report Post » soybomb315  
    • qpwillie
      Posted on June 22, 2012 at 8:59am

      @soybomb315
      Just see if I try to help you again.

      Report Post » qpwillie  
  • barber2
    Posted on June 21, 2012 at 12:16pm

    Oh, the Left just needs to call Daddy Soros….

    Report Post »  
  • Canada_Goose
    Posted on June 21, 2012 at 12:16pm

    I believe there a famous quote from Mark Hanna, a campaign advisor to William McKinley which goes something like …
    “The two most important things in winning elections are money and I forget the second one.”

    Report Post » Canada_Goose  
  • jsciai
    Posted on June 21, 2012 at 12:15pm

    This is one reason why Romney is the best candidate to go up against obama. you can like him, hate him, or be indeifferent, but Romney has the machine in place to win the election. This was evident in the primaries where he often lagged behind the ‘flavor of the month’ candidate, only to surge ahead at the vote. ROmney will defeat obama and be our next president.

    Now, all of the oabamaton trolls: west coast p, bro winston, justangry, etc., will try to put a negative spin on this but yall just ignore them. They are pushing an agenda to get obama re-electied. All of the rest of us, let’s get it going to get Romeny elected and obama rejected!
    Romney 2012

    Report Post » jsciai  
    • barber2
      Posted on June 21, 2012 at 1:09pm

      Agree. and there are several other so-called Paul dudes….sheep’s clothing guys !

      Report Post »  
  • AvengerK
    Posted on June 21, 2012 at 12:11pm

    cue: Obama hollywood elite fundraiser for $40K a ticket. Yeah but it‘s rich guy Romney who’s “out of touch”..riiiiight.

    Report Post »  
  • theblazerunner
    Posted on June 21, 2012 at 12:11pm

    super pacs…bundlers …lobbyists , need to be done away with, tired of the paid and bought off politicians.

    New Radicals – You Get What You Give [HQ]
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0QBxwRhAmA&feature=plcp

    Report Post » theblazerunner  

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