Karl Rove-Backed Campaign Groups Raise $51 Million in 2011

While former top George W. Bush aide Karl Rove is no longer in White House, he is still likely to hold major sway in the 2012 campaign season.

American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS, the outside spending groups backed by Rove, raised a combined $51 million in 2011. The Washington Post notes that most of American Crossroads $11 million in contributions over the last three months came from roughly a dozen wealthy donors.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the groups aim to spend more than $240 million in this year's elections as Republicans look to win control of the Senate and White House.