Republican presidential candidates are largely abandoning the caution of past campaigns in relations with the super PACs backing them, testing legal limits as the independent groups take over more functions from campaigns themselves. Super PACs, independent political organizations that stood on the fringes of the 2012 presidential election, are now moving to the center of the current campaign, changing the way presidential races are financed and run. Four years ago, the boundaries between the groups and the campaigns were clear. Now, as more money flows into super PACs instead of campaign accounts, the lines are blurring, making it hard to distinguish between the two political machines.
A super PAC supporting Carly Fiorina, the former Hewlett-Packard CEO, is setting up field operations in battleground states, for example, while groups backing Govs. John Kasich of Ohio and Bobby Jindal of Louisiana have hosted the candidates at town hall meetings.
Candidates can appear at super PAC events as long as they don’t ask for more than $5,000.
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker , before he exited the race, as well as former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, all attended events organized by their affiliated super PACs after declaring their candidacy.
Full Article: Some Candidates, Super PACs Draw Closer – WSJ.