Midterm elections: Were the billions spent worth it?

Yahoo ^ | Nov. 7, 2018 | Kristin Myers

[lasereye]

This year’s midterm elections are shaping up to be record-breaking for several reasons. More women have been elected to Congress than ever before, and voter turnout was at an all-time high. But it was also record-breaking for the sheer amount of money spent. The numbers are still being tallied, but according to the Center for Responsive Politics, we are on track for an election cost of more than $5 billion.

As the dust settles and the final votes roll in, many are asking: was it worth it?

The short answer is… it depends. Democrats spent $801 million to take back the House — a good bit more than the $547 million spent by Republicans, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Currently, it is forecasted that Democrats will walk away with 229 House seats, a net gain of 34 seats.

Democrats spent the most trying to ensure a victory in the House. Considering all 435 seats were up for grabs, Democrats spent an average of $1.8 million dollars on each seat. But some races were more expensive than others.

In Maryland’s 6th district, Democrats spent more than $15 million to ensure a victory for David Trone. His opponent, Amie Hoebar, spent less than $1 million.

Further south, Abigail Spanberger was able to flip Virginia’s traditionally conservative 7th district over incumbent Republican Dave Brat. Her campaign shelled out $5.3 million, compared to Brat’s $1.8 million.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, 89% of House races were won by the biggest spender – a pretty good record.

[lasereye]

The story of this election was mainly money IMO. Of course there were other reasons, like GOP-e types undermining conservative Republicans, weak candidates in some races etc. But if you get outspent 3-1 like Dave Brat, it's very tough to overcome. It's even harder when you're outspent 15-1. I don't know what the Republican party can do to prevent a repeat in two years.

[Paladin2]

Billion$ to get Sessions fired?

You betcha.....

[a fool in paradise]

Obama gave out TRILLIONS of taxpayer dollars, the Democrats have deep war chests.

[HarleyD]

I suspect the Democrats and their special interest groups and movie stars spent a lot more than $800+ millions.

[mainerforglobalwarming]

The democrats spent at least 300,000 on Maine senate race 20. About 18,000 voters.
It was won in landslides the last two times by the republican. This time the dem won by 1 point. Money does make a difference.

[Drew68]

Democrats spent the most trying to ensure a victory in the House.

Allowing us to keep the Senate...

[lasereye]

Money does make a difference.

Of course. Yet few people so far are identifying that as a major factor. I think it was the single biggest factor. It's reasonable to think that had spending been roughly equal the GOP would have kept the House and maybe picked up even more Senate seats, like MI, and won some more Governor races.

[deport]

Midterm elections: Were the billions spent worth it?

**************

Maybe economy will prosper for a while...........

[DownInFlames]

Hey RGB, your days are limited.

[dp0622]

You know, come to think of it, on Staten Island, (part of our district is Brooklyn with a LOT of Albanian and Russian dems who LOVE handouts) all I saw were ads for the D.

I mean like 10 to 1 the adds were in favor of the D.

I’m crushed that we lost.

We voted Trump 56 percent.

But these Russians and Albanians are pouring into staten island now too and they LOVE them some free stuff while they make money off the books, and most of the things they are involved in CANT be on the books.

Spit

[George from New England]

This is the media’s wet dreams come true. The recipient of the billions spent IS the media. They are rolling in the dough like never before.

[Ransomed]

Billions spent to sway the swayable % of eligible voters into voting one way or the other. Pretty horrific when you think about it. They must do it because it works I guess, supposedly around 10% of voters are swing voters. A lot of the time the margin of victory is less than 10%.

Freegards

[wally_bert]

That old crone somehow stays alive, probably barely.

[mainerforglobalwarming]

You’re right. And we need to treat politics as a daily process. Not just campaign two months before an election, but every day for the next two years. And that means billions of dollars need to be raised.

[Crucial]

Democrats were already insanely angry, bitter and motivated. I think they would have won the House regardless. They probably didn’t get a very good return on their money.

[lasereye]

There are conservative PACs. We could start contributing to them well before the election. This can’t become the new normal.

[novemberslady]

What I'd really like to know is if Paul Ryan got money to help fund races for the Republicans.

If he did-How much was it and what was it spent on?

[mainerforglobalwarming]

I agree. And the PACS need to be creative, like Trump’s. Make money form merchandising,

[manc]

Democrats have the money , they are the party of the rich and Wall street, They have the media. They have the colleges,and still they cannot take total control

[euram]

Just think of all the money shoveled into democrat coffers. That wasn’t all, far from it, how much free campaigning was done by CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC, NYT, WaPo, and all the local papers?