What role did interest groups play in elections and politics in the United States?

Hi can someone help me with these questions?

What role/impact do interest groups play in the elections and politics in the United States? (b4 n after the creation of super pacs)

How did the creation of super Pacs impacted the 2012 election?

What was the impact that super Pacs had in the 2012 presidential election?

I know this is a lot, but I am writing a paper and I have some of my paper done, but not all of it. I am somewhat good with interest groups, seeing how they have info about it in my PLS books. I just really need help on the super Pacs part, because it is fairly a new development; which means it is not in my textbooks. It is barely online.

I caught the tail end of one of the Sunday interview shows and heard something I thought was interesting - except I can’t remember the numbers. Broadly speaking though I think in the last election, the large majority of Congress people running didn’t face a serious challenge.

So what seems to be happening is that you get a lot more money being poured into primary races by groups that want to skew the party their way in that state. I think the implication there is that in pretty much every case this money is from conservative groups trying to push out more centrist candidates but I don’t think they actually spelled that out.

We’re not here to do your work for you.

twickster, for the SDMB