Former New York Governor Launches SuperPAC

Last week, former Governor George Pataki announced the launch of a new “super PAC” that “is dedicated to preserving GOP control of the House by maintaining and building New York’s Republican Congressional delegation.”

A SuperPAC is like a traditional political action committee (PAC) but is not limited in the way that most PACs are.  SuperPACs can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money for the sole purpose of supporting or opposing political candidates, but they cannot coordinate with candidates or political parties.

New York has not seen much activity with respect to “SuperPACs” thus far, but this is an indication that SuperPACs are going to be more involved in New York races.

Pataki’s new group, Tipping Point, is so named because “New York State may prove to be the Tipping Point for continued Republican control of Congress.”  New York is expected to have at least eight – and as many as ten – competitive House races.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the new group is one of the first SuperPACs to focus specifically on congressional elections within a single state.  He told the newspaper that he hopes to raise “in the high seven figures,” but would not name any of the group’s donors.

Find out more about Tipping Point through the Federal Election Commission’s web site.