- The Federal Election Commission disclosed where campaigns were spending their funds.
- Candidates are spending campaign funds in necessary and odd places.
- It costs about $500 million to $1 billion to run for President.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Democratic candidates are spending their campaign finances in necessary and unusual places.
Running for President is an expensive endeavor. It costs a candidate upward towards a $1 billion to run for President. While doing so, candidates need to amass donations to help fuel the campaign. Candidates will then spend that money in many different ways. Some of the expenses candidates are straightforward and necessary. Other expenses just seem to be strange.
Spending Money Where Necessary
Digital advertising is where a lot of money is spent on most political campaigns. This is proven in a couple of different places. In all digital advertising, Joe Biden spent $3.5 million. Spending this much on digital advertising is what is helping Biden gain small donations. Other campaigns are doing this as well. There were 10 different campaigns which spent a total of $4.1 million on Facebook ads.
Digital advertising is not the only way campaigns are trying to entice small donations. Sen. Bernie Sanders spent $751,068 on merchandise. This includes bumper stickers, t-shirts, and other similar items. Sen. Sanders uses this merchandise to bring in small donations. It is also useful for street advertisement when people wear or use his merchandise.
Weird Items Campaigns Spend On
Everything campaigns spend their finances on goes to the goal of getting the candidate elected. But not everything that campaigns spends their money on will initially make sense.
In a strange move, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard spent $100,198 on billboard advertising. Billboards are only good in areas where people can see them and do not have much reach. That money could have probably been better spent on digital advertising.
Campaigns will spend a small amount of money to cater for a fundraising event. One example of this is Rep. John Delaney spending $699 on cake. This cake was likely used to cater a fundraising event.
In a similar light, Joe Biden spent $12,075 on paella. After Biden had launched his campaign, he spent a large part of his time doing fundraising events. In one of these events, Biden’s campaign had paella for all the potential donors. Even though buying paella was necessary, it is still strange to see that much money spent on paella.
Even with unusual purchases, all the campaign funds are going to one goal: improving a candidate’s election odds. This is why you will see candidates push for donations across the board. Candidates need the funds to fuel their campaign and extend their outreach.