Nonprofits Wield Some Serious Campaign Cash

The groups’ ads “made a big impression — particularly in close Senate and House races,” the institute’s study said.

The new groups’ spending grew from $60 million in the 2004 presidential campaign cycle to at least $196 million in the 2008 cycle, the Campaign Finance Institute found. In the same period, campaign spending by 527 groups dropped from $427 million to $200 million.