In the Republican presidential primary nearly $53 million have been spent by political action committees or super PACs on advertising so far to influence voters in the early weeks of the race.

Among the largest contributors is Sheldon Adelson, who is described by Associated Press as a mega billionaire casino owner and staunch conservative who is “by far and away, the biggest patron of Newt Gingrich.”

The $10 million contribution from Adelson and his wife, Miriam, to Gingrich’s presidential campaign is “among the largest known political donations in U.S. history,” reported Associated Press.

“No other candidate in the race to challenge President Barack Obama in the November election appears to be relying so heavily on the fortune of a single donor. It’s been made possible by last year’s Supreme Court rulings — known as Citizens United — that recast the political landscape by stripping away restrictions on contribution and how outside groups can spend their money.”

“Sheldon Adelson is Citizens United come to life,” said AP.

The Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling removed restrictions on corporate and union spending in federal elections. While the groups can’t directly coordinate with the candidates they support, many are staffed with former campaign workers who have knowledge of a favored candidate’s political strategy.

While outside spending by individuals isn’t new, the Citizens United ruling gives a billionaire or a group of multimillionaires the green light to virtually buy an election.

In his 2010 State of the Union address to Congress with several members of the Supreme Court sitting in attendance, President Obama took the unusual step of criticizing for the Citizens United ruling.

“Well, I don’t think American elections should be bankrolled by America’s most powerful interests, and worse by foreign entities,” Obama said. “They should be decided by the American people, and that’s why I’m urging Democrats and Republicans to pass a bill that helps to right this wrong.”

However on Monday night Obama urged wealthy fundraisers to support Priorities USA, a super PAC led by two former Obama aides that has struggled to compete with the tens of millions of dollars collected by Republican-backed groups.

Obama campaign manager Jim Messina said in an email to supporters Monday that the president’s campaign “can’t allow for two set of rules” in which the Republican presidential nominee benefits from “unlimited spending and Democrats unilaterally disarm.”

Obama’s rival in the 2008 presidential race, Sen. John McCain recently criticized the Supreme Court ruling and attacked the super PACs unleashed by the ruling.

“I condemn them on all sides,” said McCain said of the super PACs, “and I condemn the United State Supreme Court for their naivety in the in the Citizens United decision which is an outrage.

“On both side we have these incredible amounts of money. And I guarantee you there will be a scandal. There is too much money washing around politics” said McCain.

We agree. The problem of extraordinary amounts of money flowing in elections is bigger than any one donor, candidate, political party or election. The candidacy of Republicans and Democrats will be affected in unprecedented ways by the influence of super PACs.

Congress should act to reverse the Citizens United ruling to help instill more trust and integrity in government.