$2 billion to be spent on House, Senate campaigns

At a time of recession and recovery, House candidates will probably raise and spend more than $1 billion, the nonpartisan Public Campaign Action Fund said Tuesday, adding that the spending for the Senate will probably raise the total to more than $2 billion.

The nonprofit group said House candidates raised 30 percent more and spent 54 percent more than contenders had spent at the same point in 2008.

When the dust settles and there is a final accounting after this year's races, House candidates will have raised nearly $1.3 billion and spent more than $1.4 billion, said the group, which based its analysis on data from the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.

"Candidates are raising more money in 2010 than ever before and spending it at a much quicker pace than 2008," said David Donnelly, director of the organization's Campaign Money Watch project. "With all the attack ads, candidates have to spend more time dialing for dollars and less time talking with voters. They have to feed the beast - the endless raising and spending for campaigns - that is devouring our democracy."

According to the Federal Election Commission's website, House and Senate candidates have reported spending almost all of about $1.6 billion that has been raised in this cycle.

According to the Campaign Action Fund's analysis, the projection of $1.3 billion being raised for House races in the 2010 cycle represents a doubling since the 2000 election. The projection of $1.4 billion in spending is 2 1/2 times the amount spent in 2000.

Republican House candidates raised approximately $30 million more than Democrats through the third quarter in 2010, the fund said. In the 2008 election at this time, Republicans had raised nearly $64 million less.

Democrats, including President Obama, have campaigned against the lack of transparency in fundraising by outside groups. But the issue goes further, the Action Fund said.

"To only focus on the outside secret money misses the full story of what is happening in races all over the country," Donnelly said. "Increased fundraising from wealthy donors, coupled with the secret outside money, puts our elections further into the hands of relatively few Americans. Regardless of the outcome next Tuesday, the winners will be the big donors."

For more election-related news and information, visit our California Elections 2010 page.

This article appeared on page A - 8 of the San Francisco Chronicle

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