The numbers above were compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics (and reported in the Wall Street Journal). They got the information from campaign spending reported to the Federal Election Commission (FEC). This doesn't represent total election spending, because the spending for presidential elections has been subtracted ($2.6 billion in 2012, $2.8 billion in 2008, $1.9 billion in 2004, and $1.4 billion in 2000). This represents only the projected amount spent by candidates, parties, and some outside groups on congressional campaigns.
It also doesn't include much of the dark money spent (mostly by outside conservative groups such as those funded by the Koch brothers). That's because money spent on so-called "issues" ads does not have to be reported to the FEC. This is money spent saying where a particular candidate stands on one or more issues -- without mentioning his/her opponent or the fact he/she is running for election. It's obviously meant to affect the election, but is a devious way to do it and avoid reporting the spending (or who donated the money).
As you can see, without even counting the dark money, the spending for this congressional election easily outpaces any past electoral spending for congressional races. It comes in at a whopping $4 billion dollars. Since there are 468 members of Congress running for election (33 senators and 435 representatives), that means an average of $8,547,009 was spent on each congressional race -- although I'm sure the bulk of that spending was on the 33 senate races.
This is a ridiculous amount of spending on our congressional elections -- and it shows just how easy it would be for the super-rich to buy an election. Any candidate that's not rich would have to get a massive amount of small donors or a few rich donors to fund his electoral attempt, and it's far easier to sell out and get those few rich donors.
We need to change the way we fund elections in this country, even if it means passing a constitutional amendment. Personally, I think it is time for the public funding of elections.
