Congressional Candidates Raised $1.42 Billion in 2007-2008
CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES RAISED $1.42 BILLION IN 2007-2008 WASHINGTON – House and Senate candidates seeking office in 2007-2008 reported over $1.42 billion in receipts, according to campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. The 2,382 candidates who participated in primary and general election campaigns for the U.S. Congress spent a total of $1.38 billion during the two years. Total receipts of 2008 congressional candidates declined by more than 1% compared with 2006, while total disbursements declined by almost 3%. In 2007-2008, Republican and Democratic Senate candidates raised $435.57 million and spent $433.02 million; those figures are both about 19% less than 2006 levels. Republican and Democratic House candidates increased their financial activity during 2007-2008, raising $980.35 million, almost 13% above 2006 totals, while spending $938.29 million, up over 10% from the previous election. The following chart summarizes the financial activity of all Congressional campaigns by two-year period (in millions of dollars):
Contributions from individuals totaled $798.87 million and, at 56.3% of total receipts, represent the largest source of funds for both House and Senate candidates. Contributions from PACs totaled $379.97 million, or 26.8% of receipts. Candidates themselves provided $36.2 million, which represented 2.5% of all fundraising. Contributions from individuals were greater for Senate campaigns (61.9% of receipts) than in House races (53.8%), while PACs represent a larger percentage of receipts for House candidates (30.6%, as opposed to 18.2% in Senate races). The chart below provides amounts (in millions of dollars) and percentages of PAC contributions in the totals raised in Congressional campaigns for the past seven election cycles:
The following table summarizes the activity of winning campaigns (special elections not included) during the past seven election cycles: Financial Activity of Winning Congressional Candidates (in millions of dollars)
Information attached to this release provides summary data on the following:
This release and data contained in it are also available on the FEC’s website at www.fec.gov under News Releases or Campaign Finance Reports and Data. Tables Files marked [PDF] can be viewed using Adobe Reader available from Adobe. Files marked [EXCEL] can be viewed using Excel available from Microsoft. Summary of All 2007-2008 Congressional Campaigns [PDF] [EXCEL] Historical Comparison for All Campaigns 1992-2008 [PDF] [EXCEL] Individual Contributions to Congressional Campaigns by Size 2007-2008 [PDF] [EXCEL] Summary of General Election Congressional Campaigns 2007-2008 [PDF] [EXCEL] Historical Comparison for General Election Campaigns 1992-2008 [PDF] [EXCEL] Median House Campaign Receipts by Type of Campaign [PDF] [EXCEL] Median Activity in Close House Races [PDF] [EXCEL] Top Outside Spending in 2008 Congressional Races [PDF] [EXCEL]
State by State Listings for Senate Campaigns [PDF] [EXCEL] House Campaign Summaries [PDF] [EXCEL] Footnotes 1. Figures in the first two tables and the detailed listings of candidates cover from January 1, 2007, or whenever the campaign registered during the year, through December 31, 2008 or the last report filed by the campaign as indicated. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. Open seat races are those in which the incumbent did not seek reelection. 5. Detailed listings of candidates include those House general election candidates who reported receipts before December 31, 2008. 6. Some House members or former House candidates who are or were running for the Senate in 2008 changed their former House campaign committees into their Senate campaign committees. Financial activity related solely to their Senate campaigns cannot be isolated. 7. 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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