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A recap of the super PAC impact

by Jeremy Alford

It was the super PAC that received the least amount of attention this cycle that spent the most on Election Day in November in the governor’s race.

According to campaign finance reports filed last week with the state Ethics Administration, Louisiana Families First spent $86,000 on Nov. 21, with the bulk of the money going into traditional GOTV (Get Out The Vote) efforts.

Payments of $20,000 each for “voter outreach” were paid to the New Orleans chapter of the Service Employees International Union and G&G Leasing of Shreveport. Another $23,000 went into automated phone calls.

State Sen. Ben Nevers, D-Bogalusa

The Families First PAC was set up and run by term limited state Sen. Ben Nevers, D-Bogalusa, to support the gubernatorial campaign of state Rep. John Bel Edwards.

Gov.-elect Edwards named Nevers has his chief of staff the week after the runoff.

In comparison, the Fund For Louisiana’s Future, which was established to back U.S. Sen. David Vitter, spent $12,700 on Election Day and the anti-Vitter GUMBO PAC spent $41,000, both mostly on TV.

As for the candidates, Edwards spent $200,000 on Election Day while Vitter spent $26,500.

According to the Center for Public Integrity, there were 10 different outside groups, like political action committees and super PACs, that sought to influence the race for governor this year.

When compared to the elections held in other states in 2015, none had as many outside players as Louisiana’s race for governor.

Collectively, the groups spent $9.8 million on TV, out of $20 million overall, including expenditures from the candidates.

Super PACs are different from PACs in that they are allowed to raise unlimited amounts of money thanks to a U.S. Supreme Court decision.