FEC Reports Record Campaign Spending

Related Resources • Election 2000 • Congress Up for Grabs • Presidential Straw Poll • Electoral College • Pro Electoral College  • Saint of Politicians • 17 Reasons to Vote    From Other Guides • Remembering Reagan • Bush's DUI • The REAL 3rd Party • House Cleaning Time • Nader a Wasted Vote? • Ghostly Senate Race • Unhealthy Politics • Our Candidate Is... • Thinking Green      Elsewhere on the Web • Federal Elect. Comm.

Dateline: 11/03/00

Election 2000 candidates for U.S. House and Senate seats have spent $683.1 million out of a record $800.7 million raised through Oct. 18, 2000, according to a Federal Election Commission report released yesterday. This represents a 39% increase in fundraising and a 42% increase in spending over 1998 totals. 

The FEC report shows that in 34 Senate races, 108 candidates raised $327.2 million, an increase of 52% over the same period in 1997-98. Spending reached $298.6 million, up 53% over the previous cycle. Individuals made up the bulk of the fundraising, contributing $186.5 million, or 57%. Political Action Committees (PACs) contributed $45.4 million (14%). While candidate contributions and loans totaled $75.8 million, one campaign accounted for $52.8 million of that amount. Senate candidates reported $51.9 million cash-on-hand for the final days of the campaign.

The 34 Democratic candidates for Senate raised a total of $171.8 million, compared to $146.8 million raised by 33 Republican candidates.

In House races, 804 candidates raised $473.4 million and spent $384.6 million. This represents a 31% increase in fundraising and a 35% increase in spending. House candidates received $254.7 million from individuals (54%), $168 million from PACs (35%), and $29.2 million (6%) from the candidates themselves in contributions and loans. For the final three weeks of the campaign, House candidates reported $173.5 million in cash reserves.