Nonprofits Become A Force in Primaries

Toner said the groups began raising money more than a year ago for activities in the primaries and are now poised to be a "major theater" for outside political activity throughout next year.

"I think part of it is you got an open-seat election and you have very competitive races in both parties," he said.

They will need to proceed with caution, according to federal regulators. Lois G. Lerner, who monitors nonprofits for the Internal Revenue Service, said she is "sensitive" to the possibility that people bent on influencing the outcome of an election might try to shroud their spending by forming a nonprofit.

"We're well aware that these groups may be used more in this campaign," Lerner said. "We are on the lookout, and we are prepared to look into allegations if things are being done improperly."

Federal election regulators are closely watching the activities of independent groups because of their ability to raise unlimited amounts of money, including from corporations and labor unions. If the FEC determines that the groups should be designated as political committees, they can accept no more than $2,300 from any individual.

If nonprofits put up an advertisement that expressly urges viewers to vote for or against a candidate -- or solicits donations for that purpose -- the FEC will intervene, said Robert D. Lenhard, the commission's chairman.

"We will look at what they say in their ads, and what they say in their solicitations," Lenhard said. "To the degree that influencing elections is their major purpose, they will need to register as a political committee."

Campaign activity by these nonprofits only adds to the cacophony already put out by traditional political groups. One 527 group, the conservative Club for Growth, plans to make a six-figure television-advertising buy in Iowa this week with a commercial that concludes with the line: "Call Mike Huckabee. Ask why he supported all those taxes."

Emily's List, a longstanding PAC, has spent more than $100,000 on polling, a special Web site and staff to encourage caucus-goers to support Clinton in Iowa. "That's just the beginning," said Ramona Oliver, the group's communications director. "It's going to be a significant investment."

The impact of 501(c)(4) groups is already on display in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Common Sense Issues Inc. became the latest to jump into the fray, launching a major phone and Internet operation last weekend designed to identify potential Huckabee supporters and to get them to the Trust Huckabee Web site ( http://www.trusthuckabee.com), where they can register to become "precinct captains" for the Iowa caucuses. In an e-mail, the group said its goal is to identify and educate Huckabee supporters "on the importance of the caucuses and show them how to win their respective caucuses for Governor Huckabee."

The computerized calls rankled recipients who support other candidates. The calls contained negative information on some GOP rivals of Huckabee, such as noting that former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani backs abortion rights, and positive information on Huckabee, recipients said. "It all kept coming back to, 'Would you like to know more about Huckabee?' " said Phil Corr, an evangelical pastor in Charles City, Iowa, who supports former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney.