Ready for Hillary PAC raised $9 million in 2014.
The super PAC, formed in 2013 to raise money for the former Secretary of State’s presidential campaign, doubled the amount it raised the year prior and clearly out-raised groups affiliated with numerous Republicans looking to run for the White House in 2016.
Though the group is not directly affiliated with Clinton and the money it raises can only be used for non-campaign related expenses, it shows the success she would have in fundraising should she decide to officially run in 2016.
The fundraising numbers were disclosed in a Federal Election Commission report Saturday, the deadline to file year-end reports for all PACs and campaign committees, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, who is considering a 2016 bid against Clinton, raised just $750,000 in 2014 —though he only spent $150,000. His non-federal PAC raised nearly $1.6 million in 2014 and had nearly $330,000 left over at year end.
Progressive Voters of America, the leadership PAC for Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, raised $200,000 in 2014.
Republican candidates had similar success in fundraising, though not quite as strong as Clinton.
Potential 2016ers Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee saw their PACs bring in roughly $2.1 million and $1.9 million, respectively.
However, Paul’s Reinventing a New Direction PAC spent at least $1.7 million of what it raised on fundraising expenses, fees and staffers’ salaries. Huckabee’s Huck PAC gave nearly $1 million to House and Senate campaigns and almost $1 million on fundraising.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum — all potential 2016 candidates — also reported their fundraising totals.
Cruz’s PAC raised $1.7 million last year and had roughly $130,000 left at the end of 2014. Rubio’s group raised $1.6 million and had $30,000 in the bank at yearend. Santorum’s PAC raised nearly $1.6 million.
If the money raised so far for candidates in 2014 is any indication of how the 2016 election will go — especially since none of the Democrat or Republican candidates have officially declared — it is sure to be an expensive presidential cycle.
