Impact of Money Mixed in Midterm

[loosecannon]

Money's Impact - WSJ.com

Money talks, but not always loudly enough.

In the most expensive midterm campaign in American history, a flood of cash from conservative organizations helped Republicans win control of the House. But the pro-Republican groups didn't fare as well in the Senate. Unions spent millions to little avail. And a slew of self-funded billionaires and millionaires fell dramatically, and expensively, short.

Republican Meg Whitman, the former eBay Inc. chief executive, spent $140 million of her own cash in a bid to be California's governor, equivalent to about $45 a vote. She lost by 12 points to Democratic Attorney General Jerry Brown.

"Money can't turn Democrats into Republicans," said Tucker Bounds, a spokesman for Ms. Whitman's campaign.

The 2010 election saw a record $4 billion in spending by candidates and political parties, plus a wave of new spending by outside political entities on the right and left.

Money can't buy love, anymore......

 

[uscitizen]

140 mill and failed?
That has to suck.
The job pays what maybe 100k or so?

How the heck did she ever get rich doing deals like that?

 

[loosecannon]

A Wall Street Journal analysis of campaign spending shows that Republican groups prevailed in nearly 75% of the House races in which they significantly out-spent Democratic organizations.

The analysis also shows that Republicans won 53 House seats in races where the Republican groups spent at least $200,000 more than rival Democratic organizations. Republicans, though, lost 20 races where they heavily outspent Democratic groups.

In Pennsylvania, 13-term Democratic Rep. Paul Kanjorski was weakened by more than $500,000 of ads from several conservative groups before he was defeated 55% to 45%.

In South Carolina, Democratic Rep. John Spratt had to contend with a combined $650,000 in campaign attacks from two conservative organizations, the Commission on Hope, Growth and Opportunity and the Club for Growth. Mr. Spratt, a 28-year member of the House and chairman of the Budget Committee, also lost 55% to 45%.

In the Senate, the money impact was muted. Republicans won three of seven Senate races where they spent more than $5 million.

The groups invested a total of $22 million to win Illinois, Missouri and Pennsylvania.

In four other states, California, Washington, Colorado and Nevada, Democrats won even though the Republican groups spent heavily.

The Republican groups spent a total of $10.8 million in Colorado only to fall short in their effort to oust incumbent Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet, who spent about $10 million in his re-election campaign.

Money can't buy me love?

 

[loosecannon]

140 mill and failed?
That has to suck.
The job pays what maybe 100k or so?

How the heck did she ever get rich doing deals like that?

that's running government like a corporation!

 

[uscitizen]

Yeah does kinda remind me of wall street of the last decade.
But Wall street does it with other peoples money not their own.

 

[loosecannon]

Yeah does kinda remind me of wall street of the last decade.
But Wall street does it with other peoples money not their own.

same, same!