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Carly Fiorina Gains Blessing Of The Koch Brothers' Dark Money Network

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One of the richest Republican Presidential candidate appears to have received the backing of two of the wealthiest donors in the country. Carly Fiorina, the multi-millionaire former head of HP, has tacitly been acknowledged by multi-billionaires Charles and David Koch through their extended network of political organizations. This means that not only could the big bucks begin flowing from the Koch coffers into Carly’s lightly funded campaign, but it could also attract other heavyweight GOP donors who are still on the fence amid a heavily populated Presidential field and Donald Trump’s continued popularity.

Fiorina, who is worth $58 million according to our latest tally and is the second richest candidate in the race, is among a shortlist of presidential hopefuls including Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, and Marco Rubio, that are being closely watched by the Koch brothers, who are collectively worth $85 billion. The endorsement came through Freedom Partners, a political organization used by the Kochs and other conservative donors to skirt FEC disclosure rules. Speaking of those candidates, Freedom Partners spokesman James Davis said, “[they] are leading a thoughtful and substantive discussion on the issues and we look forward to hearing more about their vision for the country." Forbes initial requests for comment weren't returned by Fiorina's team.

Dark money and SuperPACs have proven to be decisive in recent political campaigns, giving added importance to Davis' words as they give Fiorina the opportunity to seduce two of the most influential donors in conservative circles. In an exclusive interview with Forbes, Charles Koch made it clear their extended political network is looking to shell out $900 million over the 2016 presidential election to get their candidates elected to office. “We’re estimating around $300 million out of the $900 million would go to [the presidential race],” he told Forbes’ Dan Fisher.

Major donors have turned to what’s known as dark money to hide their donations, making the endorsement an explicit call for support. Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce is a trade association, denominated 506(c)(6), which in turn channels funds toward the Freedom Partners Action Fund, a Virginia-based PAC that spent more than $25 million in disclosed donations during the 2014 cycle, according to Open Secrets. During that time, Freedom Partners received three donations from the Kochs totaling $6 million. (Read The Koch Brothers Paradox: Dark Money, SuperPACs, And The Forbes 400).

The Kochs’ blessing is key for Fiorina, who has been on an ascending trend in polls since her strong performance in a mid-September debate. The most recent round-up of polls by Real Clear Politics puts Fiorina third with 10.4% of the vote, behind Ben Carson’s 17.2% and Donald Trump, who leads the field with 23.2%. Reports indicated the Kochs were inching closer to Fiorina after having invited her to their biannual summit in California in July. In his conversation with Forbes, Charles Koch avoided picking a favorite. Fiorina, it seems, caused a positive impression, but she faces tough competition if she is to become the Kochs' darling.

Must Read: The Little Black Book of Billionaire Secrets