Congressional Financial Activity Soars for 2000
For Immediate Release: Contact: Ian Stirton
January 9, 2001 Ron Harris
Sharon Snyder
Kelly Huff
CONGRESSIONAL FINANCIAL ACTIVITY SOARS FOR 2000
WASHINGTON - Congressional campaign spending for the 1999-2000 election cycle grew to slightly over $858 million, an increase of $240.9 million, or 39% from 1997-98 levels, according to a Federal Election Commission compilation of reports covering financial activity from January 1, 1999, through November 27, 2000. In addition, at least $9 million was spent by candidates in special elections and more than $109 million by candidates who lost in the primaries.
Overall, post-general election reports bring the total raised by U.S. Senate and House candidates to a record $908.3 million, up 37% from the $665.1 raised in 1997-98. PACs and other committees contributed $243.1 million, individuals contributed $490.9 million and the candidates themselves $128.9 million in loans and contributions. As of November 27, candidates reported $121.8 million in debts with cash-on-hand of $159.3 million.
Receipts for House candidates in 1999-2000 grew $118.3 million, to $539.1 million, a 28% increase when compared to 1997-98, while spending rose $119.3 million to $492.2 million, a 32% increase. Although Senate candidates also showed an increase in receipts of $124.8 million, or 51% when compared to 1997-98, and a $121 million, or 50% increase in spending, some of it was due to the amount of financial activity in the New York and New Jersey races. Also, comparisons of Senate races are always problematic because of the different states involved in each two-year election cycle.
Spending by Republican House and Senate campaigns increased $79.8 million over 1998 to $411.2 million, an increase of 24%, while spending by Democrats increased $157.6 million to $439.5 million, a 56% increase.
This release includes tables showing median amounts spent by House campaigns, comparing different types of campaigns. These tables show that median spending rose 25% for Democratic incumbents, 28% for Democratic open seat candidates, and 29% for both Republican incumbents and open seat candidates when compared to the 1997-98 cycle. Republican challengers, however, decreased their median spending by 57% when compared to the previous cycle, while Democratic challengers increased median spending by 61%.
From October 19 through November 27, 2000, candidates raised $96.7 million, up 8%, and spent $164.3 million, up 20% from the same period in 1998. The following table summarizes Senate and House activity for this period with comparable figures for similar periods in 1998, 1996, 1994 and 1992.
Financial Activity for Congressional Candidates from October 19 through November 27, 2000
2000
1998
1996
1994
1992
Raised
Spent
Raised
Spent
Raised
Spent
Raised
Spent
Raised
Spent
Senate
$40.9
$66.4
$29.1
$48.8
$32.5
$52.7
$37.5
$57.6
$24.0
$37.8
House
$55.8
$97.9
$60.2
$88.1
$61.9
$101.0
$52.0
$81.7
$56.2
$81.6
Total
$96.7
$164.3
$89.3
$136.9
$94.4
$153.7
$89.5
$139.3
$80.2
$119.4
Statistics for winning candidates follow:
Financial Activity of Winning Congressional Candidates from January 1,1999 through November 27, 2000
Senate
2000
1998
1996
1994
1992
1990
Raised
$243.9
$160.8
$119.8
$145.7
$116.7
$119.9
Spent
$238.6
$155.0
$122.3
$144.2
$120.5
$111.7
PAC/Other Cmte
$30.4
$35.1
$27.5
$31.7
$31.7
$30.9
House
2000
1998
1996
1994
1992
1990
Raised
$398.2
$322.3
$318.0
$240.6
$228.8
$194.2
Spent
$355.0
$277.3
$287.4
$220.7
$230.7
$171.6
PAC/Other Cmte
$163.6
$132.1
$122.9
$97.3
$96.5
$90.8
in millions of dollars
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 six 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
www.fec.gov under News Releases or Campaign Finance Reports and Data.
General Election Campaign
Finance Through November 27, 2000
Senate General Election
Campaigns 1988-2000
House General Election
Campaigns 1988-2000
Median House Campaign
Receipts by Type of Campaign
Nonincumbent House Campaign
Receipts 1992-2000
Median Activity for House
Nonincumbent Winners and their Opponents
Median Activity in Close
House Races
Senate Campaign Finance in
Post-Election Time Period Only
House Campaign Finance in
Post-Election Time Period Only