Associated Press: Send Money Now! Candidates Compete For Online Cash

By DAVID ESPO, AP Special CorrespondentWASHINGTON (AP) — Republican strategist "Karl Rove and his allies have taken the gloves off" in Ohio. Send money to stop them.No, wait. "Hollywood-liberal-elites are trying to hijack a Senate seat in Missouri." Funds needed now to prevent it.These aren't letters home from distraught relatives or friends. They are part of a ceaseless competition for campaign cash in the email era, from the race for the White House to Congress and local office...Increasingly, campaigns use Facebook and other social media websites to raise money. Erik Nilsson, vice president at CMDI, a Republican-aligned firm, claims credit on the company's website for showing that online fundraising yields "can be increased by 52 percent by engaging donors through social networks."In an interview, Nilsson said, "Friends asking friends are more likely to get a donation and when those donations come in ... they come in much higher."The next frontier may be donation by text message, which is currently banned...Read complete article: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hmx0sMz33t1q8lex6UljV-o_pCNg