Hofer and Patten Publish on Influence of Super PACs and Dark Money

Scott Hofer, Ph.D., assistant professor of political science, and Joseph N. Patten Ph.D., professor of political science have a new book, "Citizens Forgotten: Super PACs, Dark Money, and the Corporate Takeover of American Democracy," coming out in early June (Palgrave Macmillan, Springer Nature, 2026). The book offers analysis from the 2024 election cycle on how super PACs impacted the three branches of government; examines the role of dark money and illegal foreign influences on American democracy; and explores how super PACs are replacing the role traditionally played by political parties.

Since the 2010 Citizens United and SpeechNOW rulings, campaign finance laws have undergone a seismic shift. These changes include the establishment of super PACs, which have allowed unlimited contributions and spending from megadonors to be funneled into political activism. These dramatic changes in campaign finance have allowed a small number of ultra-wealthy contributors to reshape American democracy and all three branches of government.

Using data from the 2024 election cycle, this book explores the influence of the super PAC, which has allowed megadonors unprecedented capacity to shape political outcomes through targeted campaigning. These super PACs outspend all other political entities combined in America's most competitive congressional races while prioritizing national agendas and extensively using negative campaign advertisements.

At the executive level, contributions to super PACs have become a convenient way for the ultra-wealthy to gain backdoor influence into executive actions and policy choices. Finally, the judicial branch, which opened the door to these changes, has experienced a crisis of legitimacy resulting from ties to dark money from litigants with cases before the courts. Combining historical, legal and empirical analysis, this book provides a clear, accessible overview of how campaign finance deregulation has amplified the voices of the wealthy at the expense of democratic representation.

Hofer's research focuses on American politics and judicial behavior, specifically regarding the impacts of race, gender, and ideology on judicial appointments and representation. Patten is the co-author of "Bait and Switch: How Student Loan Debt Stifles Social Mobility" (Palgrave Macmillan 2023) and "Why Politics Matters: An Introduction to Political Science, 4th edition" (2025).