Politico: GOP hopefuls' new must-have: Megadonors

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Candidates scrambling for donor help is nothing new. But the early efforts this year to secure big-name funders have further blurred the hazy lines between candidates and unlimited-money outside groups, while reshaping Senate races around the country — propelling unknown candidates to prominence, scaring off potential opponents and heralding millions of dollars of outside spending as Republicans prepare for tough campaigns against Democratic senators.

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“When the FEC failed to take action [against Bush and other presidential candidates], it was inevitable the practice would spread to Senate and House races and the level of candidate involvement would increase to the point that these super PACs are seen as an extension of the campaigns,” said Campaign Legal Center senior director Lawrence Noble, a former general counsel at the Federal Election Commission.

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