House and Senate Candidates Spend $936 Million During 2001 - 2002

All of the decline was found among Senate races, where an unusual set of campaigns in large states during 2000 led to extraordinary spending in the 2000 campaign. During 2001-2002, Senate candidates raised $326.1 million and spent $322.4 million, about 25% below 2000 levels. House candidates, by contrast, increased their financial activity during 2001-2002, raising $643.3 million, 5% above 2000 totals, while spending $613.9 million, up 7% from the previous election.

The following chart summarizes the financial activity of all Congressional campaigns by two-year period (in millions of dollars):

Contributions directly from individuals totaled $536.8 million and, at 55% of total receipts, represent the largest source of funds for both House and Senate candidates. Contributions from PACs totaled $274.3 million, or 28% of receipts. Candidates themselves provided $110.2 million, which represented 11.4% of all fundraising. Contributions directly from individuals are more important in Senate campaigns (66% of receipts) than in House races (50%) while PACs represent a larger percentage of receipts for House candidates (33% vs. 18% in Senate races). PAC contributions were the only major source of receipts that increased in Senate campaigns between 2000 and 2002, however, growing by nearly 16% to $60.2 million. PACs gave House campaigns $214.1 million, 11% more than in 2000.

The chart below provides amounts (in millions of dollars) and percentages of PAC contributions in Congressional campaigns for the past five campaigns:

The following table summarizes the activity of winning campaigns (special elections not included) during the same five campaigns:

Information attached to this release provides summary data on the following:

• Overall summary of all Senate and House campaigns based on political party and candidate status (incumbent, challenger, and open seat);
• Overall summary of Senate and House General Election campaigns based on political party and candidate status;
• Comparable statistics for seven campaign cycles;
• Median activity for various types of House races and comparisons with prior elections;
• Contributions from individuals by size of contribution;
• Six-year financial summaries for 2000 Senate candidates;
• Financial summaries for all General Election House candidates;
• Top 50 rankings of candidates in various categories.

This release and data contained in it are also available on the FECs 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 2001-2002 Congressional Campaigns [PDF] [EXCEL]

Historical Comparison for All Campaigns 1990-2002 [PDF] [EXCEL]

Individual Contributions to Congressional Campaigns by Size 2001-2002 [PDF] [EXCEL]

Summary of General Election Congressional Campaigns 2001-2002 [PDF] [EXCEL]

Historical Comparison for General Election Campaigns 1990-2002 [PDF] [EXCEL]

Median House Campaign Receipts by Type of Campaign [PDF] [EXCEL]

Median Activity in Close House 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, 2001, or whenever the campaign registered during the year, through December 31, 2002 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. Columns entitled "contrib from other cmtes" are moneys contributed to campaigns by PACs and other committees as reported by the campaigns. Other committees include primarily committees of other candidates.

4. 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.

5. Open seat races are those in which the incumbent did not seek reelection.

6. Detailed listings of candidates include those House general election candidates who reported receipts before December 31, 2002.

7. Some House members or former House candidates who are or were running for the Senate in 2002 changed their former House campaign committees into their Senate campaign committees. Financial activity related solely to their Senate campaigns cannot be isolated. (See Chambliss [GA], Thune [SD], and Warren [NC]).

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

9. Several candidates report significant debts at least some of which were incurred in previous election cycles. These include;

• James Humphreys (WV)
• Phil Sudan (TX)
• Roger Kahn (GA)
• Gordon Smith (OR)
• Darrell Issa (CA)
• Christopher Cannon (UT)
• Doug Ose (CA)