�����ƽ��

This statistic shows the total funds raised by super PACs and other PACs supporting a candidate in the race for the U.S. presidential election, as of June 22, 2016. Super PACs and other PACs in support of Hillary Clinton collected the highest amount of funding with about 97 million U.S. dollars.

U.S. 2016 Elections: super PACs - additional information

Ahead of the February 9 New Hampshire primaries, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and longtime presidential hopeful and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met face to face in the MSNBC's Democratic debate, which took place on February 4. After Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley has withdrawn from the race upon finding out the Iowa caucus results, this was the first confrontation to feature the two major candidates for the Democratic nomination alone in the race. The debate saw Sanders and Clinton attacking each other on their weak notes, while pushing forward their strong suits.

One of Bernie’s biggest selling points throughout his campaign, which he brought up again during the debate, was the way in which he has been funding his candidacy. By insisting he does not employ super PACs and that most of the 75 million U.S. dollars raised by his campaign was acquired with the aid of “over a million people who have contributed to our campaign averaging 27 bucks a piece,” he underlined Hilary’s fundraising strategies and her support from Wall Street giants, as well as the “entire establishment.” Clinton, in response, calls Sanders’ strategies an “artful smear” and her fundraising techniques as legitimate. The Democrat, who is hoping to become the first woman President of the United States, tops the list of candidates with the most funds raised during the early stages of the 2016 Presidential campaign – a total of over 163 million U.S. dollars as of February 1, 2016. In terms of funding by means of super PACs and other PACs, Clinton comes in second, after Jeb Bush, with almost 50 million U.S. dollars raised in this manner.

In the 2012 Presidential elections, the Republican nominee Mitt Romney was the most super PAC-supported candidate, with over 25 million U.S. dollars raised through such independent expenditure-only committees. Incumbent President Barack Obama came in second, with some 18 million U.S. dollars spent by super PACs in his support and a record 150 million U.S. dollars spent on campaigns against him.