WASHINGTON -- Super PAC mega-donors have now given more than a quarter of a billion dollars, with the addition of their August contributions. In another milestone, there are now 89 donors who have each given $1 million or more.
Overall, super PACs have raised $374 million in the 2012 election cycle, and donors who gave $500,000 or more make up 68 percent of the total. These mega-donors have consistently provided the vast majority of super PAC contributions over the course of the 2012 election campaign.
New donors in August managed a near even partisan split: Eight Republicans and seven Democrats gave more than $500,000 each. (Another mega-donor gave to the ostensibly nonpartisan Campaign for Primary Accountability.) The dollar breakdown, however, favored the Democrats, with their new mega-donors tallying up $7.12 million in contributions to $4.95 million from the new Republican donors.
These new donors consisted of nine individuals, three corporations, one union, one super PAC and one ordinary political action committee.
The biggest donations in August came from two established mega-donors: $2 million apiece from Texas homebuilder and conservative donor Bob Perry and Democratic hedge fund founder James Simons. Perry made his contribution to the Karl Rove-founded super PAC American Crossroads, while Simons gave his money to Priorities USA Action, the super PAC supporting President Barack Obama's reelection. The $2 million from Simons makes him the top individual donor to Democratic super PACs in this election cycle.
See the slideshow below for the full list of 140 mega-donors giving $500,000 or more to super PACs in the 2012 election.
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