Candidates and super PACs have raised more than $1 billion through February for the 2016 presidential race, an amount that is ahead of the money raised during the last two presidential election cycles, according to an analysis.
This year’s contributions are more than double the $402 million that had been raised at the same point in the 2012 presidential election and are halfway to the total $2 billion spent four years ago, according to the nonpartisan Campaign Finance Institute.
This year’s numbers also surpassed the $812 million raised in the 2008 race. One of the reasons for lower funding numbers eight years ago was the lack of super PACs, which were legalized in the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court ruling.
Political action committees made up nearly 40 percent of presidential fundraising this year, making up for declining individual contributions.
Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton leads all candidates with the most money in her coffers. The unsuccessful 2008 presidential candidate had raised $162 million through February, partly through the super PAC Priorities USA Action.
