[Keyes2000mt]

Personally, I understand the negative political ramifications, but I see nothing wrong with it so long as the salary was not excessive. I suppose one could argue that $96,000 a year is excessive (depending on what your obligations were) but the fact of having a "salary" itself doesn't bother me at all. Keyes in the year before he ran for the Senate earned $300,000 a year, so he was taking a 2/3 pay cut to run for the Senate in Maryland in '92.

[Amelia]

WillRain: One good reason for this is that almost everyone who runs for high office either already holds an office...or are independently wealthy...part of the rational behind it being legal - and behind Keyes doing it - is that few "ordinary people" could afford to be away from their prime source of income for the time necessary to be elected.

Keyes2000mt: Keyes in the year before he ran for the Senate earned $300,000 a year, so he was taking a 2/3 pay cut to run for the Senate in Maryland in '92.

I think most of us would consider a person making $300,000 per year relatively wealthy, and $96,000 a fairly generous salary, especially since one would assume the campaign paid his expenses in addition to the salary.