Super PAC Donors Are Taking Charge

Doug Deason in September found himself without a candidate -- but almost $5 million better off. Deason, the son of Texas tech billionaire Darwin Deason, had given that amount to a super PAC backing Rick Perry before the former Texas governor dropped out of the Republican presidential race. That didn’t mean the Deasons’ funds were wasted. The family got a refund of about $4.5 million and in October decided to throw their support behind Sen Ted Cruz (R-TX), but with a catch: The Deasons haven’t yet given to super PACs backing Sen Cruz. “Super PAC money is irrelevant right now,” Deason said. He said when he eventually donates, he’ll mandate the majority of his family’s funds be reserved for the general election. Wealthy donors have learned their lesson since the 2012 elections, when super PACs spent millions backing unsuccessful candidates in primaries.

Today, they’re seeking to keep a tighter grasp on their funds, in the process further fragmenting an already complicated playing field. The desire for more control has yielded a new model in campaign finance. Rather than one super PAC backing a single candidate, which was the case through 2012, some candidates now have multiple, with each often backed by a single family.