1998 Congressional Financial Activity Declines

News Releases, Media Advisories

1998 CONGRESSIONAL FINANCIAL ACTIVITY DECLINES

WASHINGTON - Congressional campaign spending for the 1998 general election declined slightly to $617.1 million, a decrease of $9.2 million from 1996 levels, according to a Federal Election Commission review of reports covering financial activity from January 1, 1997, through November 23, 1998. Not included is the more than $12 million spent by candidates in special elections and over $87 million spent by candidates who lost in the primaries.

Post-election reports filed by U.S. Senate and House candidates bring their fundraising totals to $665.1 million, a slight increase over the $659.6 million raised in 1996. PACs and other committees contributed $200.3 million, individuals contributed $374.9 million, and the candidates themselves, $53.6 million. Debts were $54.6 million, with cash-on-hand of $131.7 million as of November 23.

Receipts for 1998 general election Senate candidates grew from $220.0 million in 1996, to $244.4 million, while spending went from $220.8 million in 1996, to $244.3 million in 1998, an 11% increase for both.

By contrast, financial activity for 1998 general election House candidates, both Republicans and Democrats, declined when compared to the same period in 1996. This was due, in part, to fewer open seats, as well as fewer competitive races. Spending declined for open-seat races for both parties during 1998, while other noteworthy declines were experienced by Republican incumbents and their Democratic challengers. Receipts for House candidates decreased slightly, from $439.6 million in 1996, to $420.8 million in 1998, while spending declined 8%, from $405.6 million in 1996, to $372.9 million in 1998.

This release includes tables showing median amounts spent by House campaigns, comparing different types of campaigns. While there were fewer Democratic and Republican challengers than in the previous election cycle, Republican challengers increased median spending by 63% over 1996, to $160,160, compared to Democratic challengers, whose median spending decreased by 26%, to $91,047 from the same period in the previous cycle.

From mid-October through late November, general election candidates raised $89.3 million, down 5%, and spent $136.9 million, down 11%, from the same period in 1996. The following table summarizes Senate and House activity for the period October 15 - November 23, 1998. Comparable figures are provided for similar periods in 1996, 1994, and 1992.

Statistics for winning candidates follow:

Financial Activity of Winning Congressional Candidates through November 23, 1998

``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

Information attached to this release provides overall summary data by political party, as well as by candidate status (incumbent, challenger, open-seat), comparable post-election summary figures for the past five election cycles, a six-year overview of each Senate campaign, listings of each House race, and candidate rankings.

This release and the data contained in it are also available on the FEC’s webpage at http://www.fec.gov.