How did political spending by super PACs change between 2010 and 2016?

Following the 2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission and the subsequent ruling in SpeechNOW.org v. Federal Election Commission, the landscape of U.S. campaign finance shifted significantly with the emergence of Super PACs. These organizations are legally permitted to raise and spend unlimited funds from corporations, unions, and individuals for independent expenditures, provided they do not coordinate directly with political candidates.123

Between 2010 and 2016, political spending by these groups experienced a dramatic increase. Data indicates that the total amount of spending by Super PACs during federal elections rose from $62 million in 2010 to more than $1.1 billion by 2016. This escalation reflects the growing influence of these committees in the American electoral process, as they became a central feature of campaign strategies and a primary vehicle for wealthy donors to exert influence in federal elections.312