Donations coming in to both presidential candidates have topped $1.5 billion dollars through September, 2012. But that doesn't count the more than $230 million flowing into super PACs, political action committees that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money.
A good percentage of that money comes from wealthy donors. Augustana political expert, Dr. Steve Klien says this election cycle has had a small number of people spending big money on campaign ads. And the numbers back him up.
At Opensecrets.org, the Center For Responsive Politics reports so far the top 100 individual donors to super PACs represent just one percent of all donors, but 73 percent of the money they delivered.
Klien says this means, "they've got unlimited funds that primarily come from relatively small number of hands.
Number one on the donor list is one couple. Sheldon and Miriam Adelson own Las Vegas Sands Corporation Resorts on the Vegas Strip and have donated 36 and a half million dollars to conservative super PACs.
Adelson, a college dropout with a net worth topping $20 billion, once told Forbes Magazine he is "against very wealthy people attempting to (influence) or influencing elections. But as long as it's doable, I'm going to do it," saying potential donations could be "limitless."
Next on the list is Bob Perry from Houston. The Texas homebuilder is a long time donor to republican candidates and causes, and has spent nearly 20 and a half million dollars this cycle. All of it going to conservative groups.
Fellow Texan, Harold Simmons of Dallas, has personally donated nearly $19 million. Forbes magazine reports the 81-year-old father of six is widely credited with developing the concept known as the leveraged buyout. Simmons has a reported net worth topping $7 billion.
He told the Wall Street Journal in March of 2012, he planned to spend to spend $36 million before the election. His goal -- to defeat president Obama and reduce the reach of government.
Joe rickets of Omaha, Neb., is next. According to the Center For Public Integrity, the founder of TD Ameritrade dumped more than $11 million in September into the super PAC he founded to back fiscally conservative candidates, Ending Spending Action Fund.
The only donor in the top five giving to liberal super PACs is Illinois media mogul Fred Eychaner. He owns the Chicago-based Newsweb Corporation, which does a little bit of everything; newspapers, television, radio and public relations, and has donated nearly $8 million. The long-time democratic donor is openly gay. The center for public integrity reporting Eychaner has visited President Obama at the White House more than half a dozen times.
Rounding out the top 100 list are movie producers, actors, business owners from across the country and even retirees. And the top business donors are also affiliated with the top personal donors. To see a complete list log onto the opensecrets.org website.
