Screenshot from Senate Leadership Fund ad “Judgement” – Captured via Youtube Campaign finance news has become a broken record, as this year’s roughly $14 billion election broke record after record. The latest: outside spending hit an all-time high of about $3.2 billion. Since the 2010 Citizens United v. FEC decision, super PACs and “dark money” groups have consistently spent about $1 billion each election cycle, but this year marks a significant jump. In 2016, the previous record-holding election cycle, outside groups spent $1.7 billion, or half as much as they did in 2020. Over $1.1 billion of this year’s $3.2 billion went to influence the presidential race. Outside groups supporting president-elect Joe Biden spent $687.3 million, while those supporting President Donald Trump spent only $369.6 million. Several new liberal super PACs and dark money groups popped up this fall to help Biden, including mega-spender Future Forward USA. On the other side of the aisle, frustrated Republicans started the pro-Trump Preserve America PAC in September.