Campaign funders unite in wake of Supreme Court ruling

Five new joint fundraising committees registered with the Federal Election Commission this week, intensifying concerns that the Supreme Court’s recent decision in McCutcheon v. FEC would result in a surge in large-scale fundraising groups.

Two of the groups represent candidates in Kentucky. The Kentucky Republican Leadership Fund would combine the fundraising efforts of the Republican National Committee and the Republican Party of Kentucky, while the Kentucky Louisiana Victory Fund targets Democrats and combines the Senate campaigns of Kentucky Democratic challenger Alison Lundergan Grimes and Louisiana incumbent Sen. Mary Landrieu.

The Reed Begich Victory Fund is a fundraising effort that links the campaign committees of Democratic Sens. Jack Reed of Rhode Island and Mark Begich of Alaska.

The Colorado North Carolina Victory Fund, merges fundraising efforts for Democratic Sens. Kay Hagan of North Carolina and Mark Udall of Colorado.

The RMS-NCF-Dakota 2014 Committee consists of three major leadership PACS: the Republican Majority Fund of Georgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss, the Next Century Fund  of North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr and the Dakota PAC backing Sen. John Hoeven of North Dakota.

Donors can write a single check for a large amount to a joint fundraising committee. The money can then be distributed among the national party and candidates within the committee.

Traditionally, a donor could write a five-figure check. The first $32,400 — the current federal donation limit for a single year — would then go to the national party committee, with whatever money is left over divided between candidates in $2,600 increments — the maximum that could be given to an individual campaign in an election cycle.

However, now that the Supreme Court has struck down the aggregate donation limits, the donor can write a large check that can be parceled out over an un-limited number of candidates. Before the McCutcheon decision, a donor could not exceed $48,600 to candidates in a year, meaning they could only give the maximum to about 18 candidates.