American Politics Today - Essentials (3rd Ed)

208 CHAPTER 7|ELECTIONS

limited in the amount of hard money they can give to a candidate’s campaign and

in the amount they can spend on behalf of the candidate as a coordinated expen-

diture. However, a party committee (and, after Citizens United, corporations and

labor unions) can spend an unlimited amount in independent expenditures to

elect a candidate or candidates. To be considered independent, expenditures must

not be controlled, directed, or approved by any candidate’s campaign. Independent

expenditures can pay for campaign advertising, but the candidate or candidates

cannot be consulted on the content.

FUNDING FOR PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS

Presidential campaigns have diff erent fi nancing rules. During the primary pro-

cess, the federal government provides matching funds to candidates who raise

$5,000 in each of at least 20 states in contributions of $250 or less. Once a can-

didate passes this threshold, the government matches the fi rst $250 of each sub-

sequent contribution. In order to receive these funds, candidates must agree to

an overall cap on the amount they will spend during the nomination process

($42.05 mil lion in 2008) and to spending caps for each primary or caucus of

67 cents per voting-age person in the state. If candidates forgo the federal matching

funds in the primaries, they can ignore these spending caps—a strategy followed

by all of the major presidential candidates in 2008 and 2012.

During the general election, presidential candidates can receive federal fund-

ing for their campaigns. Candidates do not have to accept this funding, although

every major party nominee did so between 1976, when the law took eff ect, and

2008, when Democrat Barack Obama became the fi rst candidate to opt out. He

continued to do so in 2012, as did his opponent, Mitt Romney. Funds are also given

to minor political parties if their candidate received more than 5 percent of the

vote in the previous election.

TABLE »^ 7. 1

CONTRIBUTION LIMITS IN THE 2012 ELECTIONS

INDIVIDUAL

CANDIDATES

NATIONAL

PARTY

COMMITTEE STATE PARTY

POLITICAL

ACTION

COMMITTEE

LIMIT ON TOTAL

CONTRIBUTIONS

Individuals $2,500 $30,800 — — $46,200 to candidates,

$70,800 to

organizations

Political action

committees

$5,000 $15,000 $5,000 $5,000 —

National party

committee

$5,000 — Unlimited

transfers

$5,000 —

State and

local party

committees

$5,000 Unlimited

transfers

Unlimited

transfers

$5,000 —

Source: Federal Election Commission “Contribution Limits for 2011–2012,” http://www.fec.gov/info/contriblimits1112

.pdf (accessed 11/10/12).