Candidates' big bucks don't equal big victory

Angle's campaign, which attracted support from across the country, was the most expensive congressional contest nationwide on a per-vote basis, according to a Washington Post analysis of campaign finance filings and election results.

By comparison, Reid and interest groups backing him spent $69 for each vote he received.

The figures offer one more window into the most expensive midterm election in U.S. history - estimated at $4 billion once all the money is counted, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks campaign finance statistics.

But some voters got much more attention than others, and the money did not always buy electoral success. Among the 17 congressional campaigns that cost more than $60 for each vote received, 10 of the candidates were Democrats, and only three of them won.

Even beyond that group, most Democratic incumbents who lost had enjoyed a big head start in fundraising and had spent much more than their challengers. An influx of money from outside interest groups helped Republicans overcome some of the difference, but in most races won by the GOP, the candidates had less money behind them.

Just behind Angle was Republican Linda McMahon, the former chief executive of World Wrestling Entertainment who lost to Democratic state Attorney General Dick Blumenthal for the seat vacated by retiring Sen. Chris Dodd in Connecticut. She spent about $97 per vote - 49 cents less than Angle. Almost all of it (about $47 million) came from McMahon's own pocket.

Former eBay chief executive Meg Whitman spent $140 million of her own money on her campaign to succeed Arnold Schwarzenegger as governor. But because she was running in the country's most-populous state, her per-vote spending fell far behind that of Angle and McMahon.

In upstate New York, Democratic Rep. Scott Murphy and his supporters spent $66 for each of the 99,000 votes he received, or about $6.5 million. He was defeated by retired Army Col. Chris Gibson, who spent $4 million, or $33 per vote.

Campaigns tend to spend most of their money sending out their message to voters, either through broadcast advertising, direct mail or other means. But many also spend a lot of money raising money.

In the Senate race in Nevada, which attracted outsize attention because of Reid's stature as the top Democrat in the Senate, Angle was able to raise $14 million in one quarter, far more than any of her peers. Angle said in her concession speech that most of the money came from out of state.

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

This article appeared on page A - 17 of the San Francisco Chronicle

Read more: News