On Friday the presidential campaigns and the various super PACs reported their March receipts and expenditures to the Federal Election Commission. Here are some of details that HuffPost and others found from pouring through the reports:
Sheldon Adelson and his family passed George Soros as the biggest (disclosed) individual donor to independent groups in a single election cycle. Adelson and his family have given $26.5 million to super PACs in the 2012 election cycle. Super PAC donors giving $500,000 or more continued to dominate all super PAC giving. HuffPost updated the list of super PAC mega-donors.
Mitt Romney's campaign travels have not turned into campaign contributions. HuffPost's Sam Stein reports, "In many of the states in which he waged a vigorous primary campaign, Mitt Romney has failed to convert that direct contact with voters into campaign gold."
Romney's campaign raised $12.6 million with little help from small grassroots donors. Newt Gingrich's campaign is deep in the red with some bizarre debts. Rick Santorum ended his campaign with $2 million in debt and $1.8 million cash on hand, almost enough to come out even. And the super PACs backing Gingrich and Santorum both raised millions in March, but their candidates now have no pathway to the nomination.
President Barack Obama maintains a 10-1 cash-on-hand advantage over Romney after counting his March fundraising. That being said, the president's campaign has seen a major drop-off in big dollar contributions, according to the New York Times.
The super PAC backing President Barack Obama had its best fundraising month yet, although well short of the pro-Romney super PAC, which pulled in $8.6 million to bring its total raised above $50 million.
The Karl Rove-linked super PAC American Crossroads has raised half of its money from three Texas tycoons, according to iWatch News.
The law firm where former Florida Gov. Charlie Christ, also a former Republican, works donated to the pro-Obama super PAC.
Unions increased their super PAC giving in March, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
HuffPost will continue to dig into the campaign finance reports and bring you what we find.
In other news...
Few women were elected to Congress in the 2010 midterm elections and, according to a new study, few women donated money too. HuffPost's Amanda Terkel reports, "women's contributions made up just 26 percent of recorded federal political giving to candidates, political action committees (PACs) and political parties."
Sen. Claire McCaskill is hitting Republican super PACs back after they attack her, reports WaPo.
The final report on the now-closed investigation into Rep. David Rivera gives a primer on how to live off of campaign contributions from meals to rent to escorts.
Romney donors on Wall Street might be thinking twice about contributing to a joint fundraising account that sends contributions to the state GOP parties. That's because of new rules prohibiting contributions by investment advisors to officials in states in which they do business.
Rick Hasen argues that the criminal trial of former Democratic star John Edwards is yet another instance of unnecessarily criminalized politics.
AD WATCH
Help us populate our list of campaign videos. Send any notable TV, radio or web ads that you see to Fundrace. Send your submissions to paulblumenthal@huffingtonpost.com.
Committee: Democratic National Committee
Candidate Opposed: Mitt Romney
Spot: "Mitt Romney & Rudy Giuliani: A match made in heaven..."
Market: YouTube.
Buy: None. Just a web video.
Committee: Republican National Committee
Candidate Opposed: Barack Obama
Spot: "From Hope to Hypocrisy: The Senator Who Became A Sellout"
Market: YouTube.
Buy: None. Just a web video.
Committee: Club for Growth
Candidate Opposed: Barack Obama
Spot: "What Do Solyndra, Mexican Drug Cartels, And Enron Have In Common"
Market: Unknown.
Buy: Undisclosed.
Committee: Elizabeth Warren for Senate
Spot: "Kids Like Me"
Market: Massachusetts.
Buy: Undisclosed.
Committee: Club for Growth
Candidate Opposed: Jon Bruning
Spot: "More"
Market: Nebraska.
Buy: Undisclosed.
Committee: American Bridge 21st Century
Candidate Opposed: Scott Brown
Spot: "Scott Brown: #1 Fan of the Foxsborough Red Sox"
Market: YouTube.
Buy: None. Just a web video.
Committee: American Bridge 21st Century
Candidate Opposed: Dick Lugar
Spot: "Dick Lugar: Ex-Hoosier"
Market: YouTube.
Buy: None. Just a web video.
Committee: Tim Holden for Congress
Spot: "Seniors"
Market: Pennsylvania's 17th District.
Buy: Undisclosed.
Committee: Brad Sherman for Congress
Spot: "Brad Sherman Fighting For The San Fernando Valley"
Market: California's 30th District.
Buy: Undisclosed.
Committee: Citizens United
Candidate Opposed: Gov. Martin O'Malley
Spot: "Maryland's Governor Martin O'Malley's $2 Billion Tax Hike"
Market: Maryland.
Buy: Undisclosed.
TRACKING INDEPENDENT SPENDING IN THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE:
These numbers represent spending by independent groups, like super PACs and non-profits, to support or oppose a particular candidate for the presidency in 2012. Fundrace will update this spending daily to help show which candidates are gaining from the proliferation of independent groups in this coming election.
Newt Gingrich (R), $13,017,772 to support, $18,885,161 to oppose.
Rick Santorum (R), $7,548,235 to support, $20,923,379 to oppose.
Mitt Romney (R), $3,317,306 to support, $7,622,547 to oppose. (+$5,000)
Rick Perry (R), $4,167,697 to support, $1,404 to oppose.
Ron Paul (R), $3,748,218 to support, $214,158 to oppose.
Jon Huntsman (R), $2,453,204 to support, $0 to oppose.
Barack Obama (D), $298,856 to support, $1,017,343 to oppose.
Herman Cain (R), $501,717 to support, $954 to oppose.
Gary Johnson (R), $518 to support, $0 to oppose.
RECENT INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES
American Dental Association, $11,000 to support Scott Keadle for Congress in North Carolina's 8th District.
FreedomWorks for America, $10,328 to oppose Orrin Hatch for Senate in Utah.
National Rifle Association of America Political Victory Fund, $10,724 to support Richard Mourdock for Senate in Indiana.
National Rifle Association of America Political Victory Fund, $10,724 to oppose Dick Lugar for Senate in Indiana.
FreedomWorks for America, $6,000 to support Richard Mourdock for Senate in Indiana.
FreedomWorks for America, $337 to oppose Dick Lugar for Senate in Indiana.
Majority PAC, $10,000 to oppose Dick Lugar for Senate in Indiana.
Majority PAC, $114,971 to support Claire McCaskill for Senate in Missouri.
National Committee for the Preservation of Social Security & Medicare PAC, $1,219 to support Mark Critz for Congress in Pennsylvania's 12th District.
Freedom Fund for America's Future, $30,145 to oppose Tom Smith for Senate in Pennsylvania.
Working for Us PAC, $16,191 to support Mark Critz for Congress in Pennsylvania's 12th District.
National Rifle Association of America Political Victory Fund, $115 to support Orrin Hatch for Senate in Utah.
DGA Action, $5,000 to oppose Mitt Romney for President.
Working for Us PAC, $4,900 to support Mark Critz for Congress in Pennsylvania's 12th District.
SEIU COPE, $10,961 to support Mark Critz for Congress in Pennsylvania's 12th District.
Sam vs. The Machine, $7,700 to support Samuel Rohrer for Senate in Pennsylvania.
Working for Us PAC, $33,502 to support Mark Critz for Congress in Pennsylvania's 12th District.
FreedomWorks for America, $2,843 to oppose Orrin Hatch for Senate in Utah.
Working for Us PAC, $1,461 to support Mark Critz for Congress in Pennsylvania's 12th District.
League of Conservation Voters, $6,744 to support Matt Cartwright for Congress in Pennsylvania's 17th District.
RECENT POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE REGISTRATIONS
Morongo Basin Democratic Club, Morongo Valley, Calif., Treasurer: Terese Hone.
Madison Tea Party, Hanover, Ind., Treasurer: Lisa A. Seng. (Super PAC)
Dread Scott Super PAC, St. Louis, Mo., Treasurer: Jon M. Kelly. (Super PAC)
Women for Liberty, Brighton, Mich., Treasurer: Douglas J. Edwards.
Classy Conservative Inc., Coral Springs, Fla., Treasurer: Laurette Homan.
Society for Cardiovascular Angiography And Interventions Association PAC, Washington, D.C., Treasurer: Norman Marc Linsky.
California Conservative PAC, Huntington Beach, Calif. Treasurer: John Fugatt. (Super PAC)
National Horizon, Washington, D.C., Treasurer: David Satterfield. (Super PAC)
Christ in Congress Campaign, Denver, Colo., Treasurer: Robert Abel.
L PAC, Washington, D.C., Treasurer: Sarah Schmidt.
Send tips, hints, submissions, rumors to HuffPost Fundrace at paulblumenthal@huffingtonpost.com.