Congratulations to the winners and condolences to those who backed losing candidates. It was an extraordinary election.  Barack Obama’s victory looks to be great news for supporters of Clean Elections. He has been a Clean Elections proponent and signed on to the Durbin/Specter Fair Elections Now Act. Obama reportedly garnered about half his donations in increments of $200 or less, a tribute to his message of confidence and hope.  Still, this was an election swamped with money. The presidential candidates raised about $2.4 billion to spend on their race, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Both Obama and Sen. John McCain generated huge sums through wealthy donors.  The Wall Street Journal reported today on a study by Public Citizen that found that these so-called “mega-bundlers” brought in $70,000 a piece from other individuals by channeling the money through joint fund-raising committees. See "Mega-Bundlers Up Financing Ante".  Through Oct. 15, the McCain and Obama campaigns raised a combined $350 million in their joint fund raising accounts. In the 2004 presidential election, President Bush and Sen. John Kerry raised a combined $51.4 million through these types of accounts. In 2000, it was only $5.2 million, the Journal reported.  This election is an important step. The goal remains to bring Clean Elections programs to federal elections and to state governments.