Melissa M. Smith is assistant professor of communication at Mississippi University for Women.Larry Powell is professor of communication studies at the University of Alabama–Birmingham.

The Supreme Court's 2010 decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission dramatically restructured how American elections are funded by gutting restrictions on corporations' ability to give money to political candidates. One of the most impactful resultant changes was the rise of the super PAC, a new kind of political action committee that could raise exponentially larger sums than its predecessors by channeling corporate donations. Although the full significance of super PACs will not be known for several election cycles, this study is a fine initial exploration of how they have altered the American electoral landscape. Smith and Powell compartmentalize their approach by detailing and analyzing the role that super PACs played in the Republican presidential primaries, in President Obama's preparations for his reelection bid, and in the general election for president. . . .In addition, the authors separately scrutinize candidate-affiliated super PACs and independent ones. While many of the accounts in this slim monograph are brief, they are highly informative and readable, and can serve as an excellent introduction to the subject for students and scholars alike. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Undergraduate collections all levels and above.

• AcknowledgmentsIntroduction: The genesis of Super PACs in the 2010 midterm electionsSuper PACs in the 2012 PrimariesMajor Super PACs and Supporters: An OverviewThe Republican Primaries: Mitt Romney and Restore Our FutureDemocratic Super PACs active in the 2012 Republican PrimarySuper PACs in the 2012 General ElectionMajor Democratic Super PACs in General ElectionPresident Barack Obama and Priorities USANot-For-Profit Super PACsMajor Republican Super PACsRomney and Restore Our Future 2: The General ElectionKarl Rove and American CrossroadsLone MavericksBarry P. SmithLooking Back, Looking Forward: Conclusions and DiscussionIndexAbout the Authors

Melissa M. Smith is assistant professor of communication at Mississippi University for Women.Larry Powell is professor of communication studies at the University of Alabama–Birmingham.

The Supreme Court's 2010 decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission dramatically restructured how American elections are funded by gutting restrictions on corporations' ability to give money to political candidates. One of the most impactful resultant changes was the rise of the super PAC, a new kind of political action committee that could raise exponentially larger sums than its predecessors by channeling corporate donations. Although the full significance of super PACs will not be known for several election cycles, this study is a fine initial exploration of how they have altered the American electoral landscape. Smith and Powell compartmentalize their approach by detailing and analyzing the role that super PACs played in the Republican presidential primaries, in President Obama's preparations for his reelection bid, and in the general election for president. . . .In addition, the authors separately scrutinize candidate-affiliated super PACs and independent ones. While many of the accounts in this slim monograph are brief, they are highly informative and readable, and can serve as an excellent introduction to the subject for students and scholars alike. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Undergraduate collections all levels and above.

• AcknowledgmentsIntroduction: The genesis of Super PACs in the 2010 midterm electionsSuper PACs in the 2012 PrimariesMajor Super PACs and Supporters: An OverviewThe Republican Primaries: Mitt Romney and Restore Our FutureDemocratic Super PACs active in the 2012 Republican PrimarySuper PACs in the 2012 General ElectionMajor Democratic Super PACs in General ElectionPresident Barack Obama and Priorities USANot-For-Profit Super PACsMajor Republican Super PACsRomney and Restore Our Future 2: The General ElectionKarl Rove and American CrossroadsLone MavericksBarry P. SmithLooking Back, Looking Forward: Conclusions and DiscussionIndexAbout the Authors

Melissa M. Smith is assistant professor of communication at Mississippi University for Women.Larry Powell is professor of communication studies at the University of Alabama–Birmingham.

The Supreme Court's 2010 decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission dramatically restructured how American elections are funded by gutting restrictions on corporations' ability to give money to political candidates. One of the most impactful resultant changes was the rise of the super PAC, a new kind of political action committee that could raise exponentially larger sums than its predecessors by channeling corporate donations. Although the full significance of super PACs will not be known for several election cycles, this study is a fine initial exploration of how they have altered the American electoral landscape. Smith and Powell compartmentalize their approach by detailing and analyzing the role that super PACs played in the Republican presidential primaries, in President Obama's preparations for his reelection bid, and in the general election for president. . . .In addition, the authors separately scrutinize candidate-affiliated super PACs and independent ones. While many of the accounts in this slim monograph are brief, they are highly informative and readable, and can serve as an excellent introduction to the subject for students and scholars alike. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Undergraduate collections all levels and above.

• AcknowledgmentsIntroduction: The genesis of Super PACs in the 2010 midterm electionsSuper PACs in the 2012 PrimariesMajor Super PACs and Supporters: An OverviewThe Republican Primaries: Mitt Romney and Restore Our FutureDemocratic Super PACs active in the 2012 Republican PrimarySuper PACs in the 2012 General ElectionMajor Democratic Super PACs in General ElectionPresident Barack Obama and Priorities USANot-For-Profit Super PACsMajor Republican Super PACsRomney and Restore Our Future 2: The General ElectionKarl Rove and American CrossroadsLone MavericksBarry P. SmithLooking Back, Looking Forward: Conclusions and DiscussionIndexAbout the Authors