Congressional Campaigns Spend $966 Million Through Mid October

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WASHINGTON -- Congressional candidates participating in the November 7, 2006 general election have raised $1.14 billion and spent $965.7 million in the current two-year period, according to a compilation by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) from financial reports through October 18, 2006. This represents an increase of 30% in receipts and 36% in disbursements over the comparable period in 2004.

Senate candidates participating in the 2006 general election raised $457.4 million and spent $401.5 million during the period from January 1, 2005 through October 18, 2006.Receipts were 39% higher than 2004, while Senate spending grew by 44%.Comparisons across election cycles are particularly difficult for Senate races because the states involved vary and also a few campaigns can significantly affect totals. For example, in 2006 there are Senate campaigns in several large states (e.g. New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Ohio) that typically are more expensive.

House general election candidates’ fundraising increased 25% over 2004 levels to a total of $678.6 million.Spending by these candidates totaled $546.2 million, up 30%.  While both parties experienced growth in financial activity, increases were concentrated among Republican incumbents and Democratic challengers and open seat candidates. Republican incumbents’ fundraising increased by 26% over 2004 levels while spending was up by 39%. Democratic challengers more than doubled their receipts and disbursements in 2006 and fundraising and spending by Democratic open seat candidates grew by 60%. Tables that follow show that median receipts also grew in 2006 for nearly all types of House campaigns, with only the median Republican challenger raising and spending less in 2006 than in the previous cycle.

Contributions from individuals totaled $689.8 million and continue to be the largest source of receipts for Congressional candidates, representing 61% of all fundraising as of October 18. PAC contributions totaled $316.8 million or 28%, while candidates themselves contributed or loaned a total of $86.8 million, which was 8% of all receipts. Contributions from individuals grew by 25% when compared with the same time period in the 2004 campaign, while PAC contributions increased by 26% and contributions and loans from candidates themselves are nearly three times greater than 2004.

Tables attached to this release offer summary data for Senate and House candidates by political party, as well as by candidate status (incumbent, challenger, or open seat). Also included are rankings of Senate and House candidates for the following categories: receipts, individual contributions, PAC and other committee contributions, contributions and loans from the candidate, disbursements, cash-on-hand, and debts owed. Six-year financial summaries of Senate candidates for 2006, as well as current cycle financial summaries for each House campaign are also attached.

Tables

• Financial Activity of 2004 Congressional Campaigns [ excel ]  [ pdf ]
•  Median Receipts for House Candidates [ excel ]  [ pdf ]
•  Financial Activity of Senate Candidates – 1994-2004 [ excel ]  [ pdf ]
•  Financial Activity of House Candidates – 1994-2004 [ excel ]  [ pdf ]
• Six Year Financial Summary for 2004 Senate Campaigns through March 31, 2004 [ excel ]  [ pdf ]
• Senate Top 50''''s
  •  Top 50 Senate Campaigns by Receipts       [ excel ]  [ pdf ]
  •  Top 50 Senate Campaigns by Contributions from Individuals [ excel ]  [ pdf ]
  •  Top 50 Senate Campaigns by Contributions from PACs and Other Committees [ excel ]  [ pdf ]
  •   Top 50 Senate Campaigns by Contributions and Loans from the Candidate  [ excel ]  [ pdf ] 
  • Top 50 Senate Campaigns by Disbursements    [ excel ]  [ pdf ]      
  •  Top 50 Senate Campaigns by Cash on Hand  [ excel ]  [ pdf ]        
  •  Senate Campaign Debts [ excel ]  [ pdf ]
• House Top 50''''s       
  •  Top 50 House Campaigns by Receipts  [ excel ]  [ pdf ]
  •  Top 50 House Campaigns by Contributions from Individuals  [ excel ]  [ pdf ]
  •  Top 50 House Campaigns by Contributions from PACs and Other Committees [ excel ]  [ pdf ]
  • Top 50 House Campaigns by Contributions and Loans from the Candidate  [ excel ]  [ pdf ]
  •  Top 50 House Campaigns by Disbursements   [ excel ]  [ pdf ]      
  •  Top 50 House Campaigns by Cash on Hand   [ excel ]  [ pdf ]        
  •  Top 50 House Campaigns by Debts Owed  [ excel ]  [ pdf ]

  House Incumbent Top 50''''s

•       Top 50 by Receipts  [ excel ]  [ pdf ]
•       Top 50 by Contributions from Individuals  [ excel ]  [ pdf ]
•       Top 50 by Contributions from PACs and Other Committees  [ excel ]  [ pdf ]
•       Top 50 by Disbursements    [ excel ]  [ pdf ]
•       Top 50 by Cash on Hand  [ excel ]  [ pdf ]
•       Top 50 by Debts Owed  [ excel ]  [ pdf ]

• House Challenger Top 50''''s
•       Top 50 by Receipts  [ excel ]  [ pdf ]
•       Top 50 by Contributions from Individuals  [ excel ]  [ pdf ]
•       Top 50 by Contributions from PACs and Other Committees  [ excel ]  [ pdf ]
•       Top 50 by Disbursements    [ excel ]  [ pdf ]     
•       Top 50 by Cash on Hand  [ excel ]  [ pdf ]        
•       Top 50 by Debts Owed  [ excel ]  [ pdf ]

• House Open Seat Top 50''''s
•       Top 50 by Receipts  [ excel ]  [ pdf ]
•       Top 50 by Contributions from Individuals  [ excel ]  [ pdf ]
•       Top 50 by Contributions from PACs and Other Committees  [ excel ]  [ pdf ]
•       Top 50 by Disbursements   [ excel ]  [ pdf ]     
•       Top 50 by Cash on Hand   [ excel ]  [ pdf ]       
•       Top 50 by Debts Owed  [ excel ]  [ pdf ]

House Campaigns by State and District  [ excel ]  [ pdf ]

Footnotes

• Figures in the first two tables and the detailed listings of candidates cover from January 1, 2005, or whenever the campaign registered during the year, through October 18, 2006.
• Net receipt and net disbursement figures are total receipts and total disbursements, as reported by the campaigns, minus any money transferred between committees of the same campaign.
• Columns entitled “Contrib from Other Cmte’s” are monies contributed to campaigns by PACs and other committees as reported by the campaigns.  Other committees consist primarily of committees of other candidates.
• On the Senate listings, the column titled “Candidate Support” includes contributions by the candidate as well as loans made or guaranteed by the candidate.  The column titled “Trans from Other Auth.” Includes moneys transferred from House committees of candidates for the Senate, as well as proceeds from joint fundraising activity among several candidates or committees.  Contributions from individuals and PACs made through these joint fundraising efforts are NOT included in the “Individual Contributions” or “Other Cmte Contributions” columns.
• Open-seat races are those in which the incumbent did not seek reelection.
• Some House members who are or were running for the Senate in 2006 changed their former House campaign committees into their Senate campaign committees.Financial activity related solely to their Senate campaigns cannot be isolated. (See Harris [FL], Menendez [NJ], Brown [OH], Ford [TN])
•  Several candidates report significant debts, at least some of which were incurred in previous election cycles.  These include;
• Darrell Issa (CA)
• Robert Bennett (UT)
• James Cooper (TN)
• Christopher Chocola (IN)
• Rahm Emanuel (IL)
• Richard Renzi (AZ)
• Terry Everett (AL)

     8.    Party abbreviations in the listing of House campaigns are:

            DEM - Democrat                                             LIB - Libertarian

            DFL - Democrat/Farmer/Labor (MN) PAF - Peace and Freedom

            REP - Republican                                           IND - Independent

            RTL - Right to Life                                          LBL - Liberal

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