ABSTRACT
This chapter argues the recent and important court cases, coupled with the growing cost of political campaigns, have created a political environment conducive to hundreds of millions of dollars being spent by these outside and unaccountable groups throughout the campaign. Considering recent changes to laws and regulations that have seen a relatively constrained and egalitarian system of financing candidates and causes transformed into one where affluent individuals and organizations have unprecedented influence. As many analysts predicted prior to the 2012 presidential contest, outside groups played a large role in financing the election. Based on fund-raising during the Republican Party presidential nomination process, the general election foreshadowed unprecedented presidential fund-raising and spending for at least three reasons. Thus, this chapter attempts to understand the often arcane but highly important world of presidential campaign finance. The major story of the 2012 presidential financial race was the increased role of outside groups.
