Paul Ryan of CLC:

Last week the Republican National Committee published its Growth & Opportunity Project report “provid[ing] an honest review of the 2012 election cycle and a path forward for the Republican Party to ensure success in winning more elections.”  When it comes to campaign finance policy, the RNC apparently believes that the path forward is a journey back in time to the pre-McCain-Feingold era, claiming that “the free speech rights of political parties and federal candidates remain smothered by McCain-Feingold” and recommending that a variety of contribution limits applicable to political party committees and federal candidates be repealed or increased.

Contrary to the RNC’s claim that the party’s free speech rights have been “smothered by McCain-Feingold,” the party raised more money during the 2012 election cycle than ever before.  According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the Republican Party and the Democratic Party each raised more than $1 billion during the 2012 cycle, shattering previous fundraising totals both pre- and post-McCain Feingold.  With regard to fundraising, the parties seem to be doing just fine under existing limits.