Coincidence? Sunlight map shows how Obama fundraising crosses paths with his super PAC
By Joshua Hatch Apr 26 2012 noon
Obama and Priorities USA fundraising paths often cross.
Although super PACs are not allowed to coordinate with candidates when it comes to campaign spending, the Federal Election Commission has determined that it's permissible for candidates to raise money for the super PACs supporting them.
With that in mind, Sunlight analyzed President Obama's campaign fundraisers and cross-referenced them with the locations of donors to the Priorities USA Action super PAC, which supports Obama.
We drew on data from our Follow the Unlimited Money tracker as well as Political Party Time, our database of political fundraisers. We also got an assist from on tracking Obama fundraisers from that indefatigable chronicler of all things presidential, CBS News correspondent Mark Knoller.
The result is the map above, which illustrates the extent to which both the president's official and his shadow campaign are drawing from the same geographic base.
Obama campaign fundraisers are shown with the red placemarks, while counties with at least one resident who donated money to Priorities USA Action, are shaded green.
Geography isn't the only way that fundraising by presidential candidates and the super PACs supporting them intersects: In a separate analysis, Sunlight finds that some donors who have met their limits to the presidential campaigns are beginning funnel money to super PACs backing their favorite candidates'
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