By Lamin Njie, US Elections virtual reporting tour participant
Next Tuesday’s US election will be the most expensive election ever, costing an eye-watering 14 billion dollars, findings by the Centre for Responsive Politics have revealed.
The 2020 US election comes amid the country’s economy struggling driven largely, if not entirely by the coronavirus pandemic.
The two candidates – Donald Trump and Joe Biden – have shelled out hundreds millions of dollars for one thing only: to win the White House. The latter however wallowed in more money than Trump with his campaign raising $809 million to Trump’s $552 million, according to data by the Centre for Responsive Politics.
How the candidates get their money
According to Sheila Krumholz the executive director at the Center for Responsive Politics, American politicians fund their campaigns through donations, either through individuals or groups – and there’s been a massive rise in the amount of money candidates are getting and splashing.
“This rapid increase in money flowing into U.S. politics is partly due to the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision Citizens United versus Federal Election Commission in 2010, which allowed organizations that are nominally independent from the candidates to raise and spend unlimited sums from any source,” Krumholz told foreign reporters covering this year’s US elections.
What are the millions being spent on?
The staggering money by the candidates is for the most part being spent on digital advertising, according to Krumholz.
“Especially in a time of COVID when we’re all sitting at home, online political ads are cost-effective way to message and fundraise,” she said.
But is the election all about money?
Money is a fascinating window through which to look at politics and it is a critical element for a winning campaign, according to Krumholz.
She however quickly added: “However, it is not enough on its own. Campaigns also need to have good campaign organization, good charisma connection with the voter’s message. And so generally speaking, those candidates who excel in those other areas are more likely to raise the money they need.
“At some point, if both candidates, usually it’s major party candidates, Democrats and Republicans, but not always, who are heading into the general election in November. If they have reached a certain threshold amount, money is not going to be the determinative factor.
“If they’re both, say they both raised a million dollars at some point, it becomes less about the money and more about how they’re waging their campaigns and potentially the proclivities, the leanings of the constituency they seek to represent. So money is essential, but not everything.”
