If this were really the case why in the hell are Jim Jordan, Matt Gretzky, Trump able to win their elections without these BIG donors THEY WIN because they have principles and stick to them!! MONEY has nothing to do with it except these bastards lining their own pockets!!
It sounds like you need to buy your own island somewhere - unless you are obliquely helping me make my point. Like it or not, political candidates need money to compete. We see Silicon Valley and Hollywood shoveling millions for some unknown candidate to defeat our most principled candidates. Donald Trump financed his own primaries but it now costs at least a $bil to run for POTUS. The same is true to a lesser extent for Senate and House seats.
I agree that principled candidates attract votes - but they have to get their message out and into the public forum. If you cannot accept that then you need to forget about politics because you will continue to lose.
I saw it first hand here in my district, represented by Dem tyrant-in-waiting, Val Demings. A wonderful Christian woman ran against her and I did all that I could go get the media to at least interview her; even the 'conservative talk' radio station ignored her. She lost big time.
That is reality and it stinks!