Super pac
Definition
An independent expenditure-only committee that can raise and spend unlimited money from individuals, corporations, and unions. Super PACs can't give directly to candidates or coordinate spending with them, a distinction created by the 2010 SpeechNow.org v. FEC ruling that followed Citizens United.
Why it matters
Super PACs let wealthy donors and corporations spend unlimited sums supporting or opposing candidates, far above direct contribution limits. The "no coordination" rule is the load-bearing legal fiction: weak FEC enforcement means candidates and allied super PACs often operate in close sync without triggering a violation.
Seen in the wild
In the 2024 cycle, 2,458 super PACs raised $4.29 billion and spent $2.73 billion, per OpenSecrets.1 Single contributions reached tens of millions, including an $82.5 million gift from Empower Parents PAC to the Never Back Down super PAC supporting Ron DeSantis's presidential bid.2