Democrat candidates and their causes were well funded this year, and they hemorrhaged cash to the consultants and media experts who ran their losing campaigns.
Take Kamala Harris, for example. Her brief campaign for president raised over $1 billion and lasted just 107 days, which means she burned through $10 million a day. Her spending was at times reckless: She made her campaign spend over $100,000 recreating the “Call Her Daddy” podcast set in a Washington hotel room so she would not have to fly to California for the appearance on the show, which only had a sliver of the audience that Donald Trump had on the Joe Rogan podcast.
The Harris campaign spent $654 million to paid media, and Democratic groups working on behalf of Harris spent $726.1 million on advertising. The total comes close to $14 billion. Trump’s campaign spent $378 million, according to AdImpact.
Harris’ campaign payroll totaled $56.6 million, while the Trump campaign spent $9 million, employing far fewer people.
Harris reportedly ended her campaign $20 million in debt and can’t even pay her employees without an extra infusion of cash from donors — and the letters asking for money went out immediately.
In Alaska, Rep. Mary Peltola had a massive cash advantage, running one of the most expensive campaigns in Alaska history.
As of October. 16, Peltola had raised nearly $11.4 million for her campaign, not including the millions spent on her behalf by third-party groups, such as Planned Parenthood and the many well-heeled unions that ran their own parallel campaigns for her reelection. She had $1,163,587 cash on hand as of the Oct. 16 filing period.
In other words, Peltola’s campaign spent over $31,000 every day for the 365 days leading up to the Nov. 5 election.
Her challenger, Republican Nick Begich, raised a little over $2 million, spent $1.8 million and had $279,455 cash on hand by Oct. 16.
Like Trump, Begich was outspent by the Democrats but appears to have won.
Ballot Measure 2, repealing the ranked-choice voting system now being used in Alaska, was even more lopsided in spending.
The group trying to keep ranked-choice voting — “No on 2” — raised more than $14.6 million, nearly all of it from dark-money billionaires like John Arnold, who are not Alaskans but who opposed repealing the system they had spent over $6 million in dark money in 2020 to install.
The citizens group trying to repeal ranked-choice voting in Alaska, “Yes on 2” had under $100,000, all Alaska donations, to work with, but because the “No on 2” people kept suing to keep the question off the ballot, their debt is in at least the tens of thousands of dollars, just in legal fees fighting off the Scott Kendalls of the other side.
Around the country, the groups pushing ranked-choice voting in other states also outspent those who favor regular voting.
These figures were supplied by Phil Izon, one of the Alaskans who worked to get the signatures to repeal ranked-choice voting:
Alaska: $6.84 million + $14.64 million = $21.48 million supporting RCV over two ballot measures (Ballot Measure 2 in 2020 installed ranked-choice voting, while Ballot Measure 2 in 2024 repealed it. Those opposing ranked-choice voting in Alaska had just $1.1 million between 2020 and 2024. The imbalance was 21 to 1.
Arizona: $15.88 million supporting ranked-choice voting (Proposition 140 in 2024); $150,000 opposing it. Voters decided against installing ranked-choice voting in Arizona.
Colorado: $14.66 million supporting ranked-choice voting (Prop 131 in 2024); $460,000 opposing it. Voters decided against installing ranked-choice voting in Colorado.
Idaho: $5.50 million supporting Proposition 1 in 2024; $150,000 opposing it. Voters decided against installing ranked-choice voting in Idaho.
Montana: $44.76 million supporting CI-126 and CI-127; $70,000 opposing them. Voters decided against installing ranked-choice voting in Montana.
Nevada: $22.38 + $19.36 = $41.74M supporting Question 3 in 2022 and Question 3 in 2024. $2.08 million + $2.43 million = $4.51 million opposing (Question 3 in 2022 and Question 3 in 2024). Voters decided against installing ranked-choice voting in Nevada.
Oregon: $10.12 million supporting, $10,000 opposing Ballot Measure 117 in 2024. Voters decided against installing ranked-choice voting in Montana.
South Dakota: $1.62 million supporting; none opposing ranked-choice voting. Voters decided against installing ranked-choice voting in South Dakota.
Washington, D.C.: $1.28 million supporting Ballot Initiative 83 in 2024); $1,000 opposing. Voters in D.C. approved ranked-choice voting.
The total spent for pushing ranked-choice voting between 2020 and 2024 was at least $157.04 million. It exceeded by 24 times the amount the opposition to ranked-choice voting spent trying to preserve regular voting.
Now Alaska Legislature needs to pass “NO RCV” just like Alabama did. Alaska Legislature must pass campaign reform laws to prohibit dark money from Political Action Committees (PACs) funneling to campaigns. No election should be decided by the group that does the most spending aka brainwashing. The winner should be determined by a transparent and timely process, not by how the votes are counted. No more mail in ballots unless they are properly requested absentee ballots. Voting should be in person, with voter ID and hand counted. No more rigged voting machines. What is going on with Alaska Precincts that have not submitted their votes? Have all ballots been accounted for in All Alaska Precincts? A lie is a lie no matter how many times it is repeated. Alaskan’s deserve better than this!!!
Do you really think the yahoos comprising the Alaska Legislature have the sense of purpose to accomplish something like that? They’ll spend at least the first month checking their nose hairs and arranging pencils and pens on their desk wait for some boss to decide what to do. There is something to be said for the Redneck common sense in Alabama. Common sense and Juneau do not go together.
I agree with Carl. 99.9% of the Alaska legislators have their seats thanks to RCV. If people could really see how their rights and our PFD are being given away every time legislation is in session, they’d be firing all the legislators, except one.
One person one vote.
The system has worked for hundred of years.
Your vote should belong to you not the politicians to pick who they want.
Paragraph 3: I think should read “comes close to $1.4 billion.”
$1billion in 107 days is $9,345,794. per day! WOW!!!
Anchorage Republican Women, along with a donation from Capital City Women jumped into the Yes on 2 campaign with $12,000 the last month of the campaign! Can you imagine if we had a million dollars? They would have been slaughtered!!
RCV repeal BARELY passed, even after so many people experienced the annoyance.
Meanwhile, the democrats are in control of both the Senate and House and will be in control of the executive when Dunleavy leaves and is replaced with Dahlstrom. We suck as a state.
The RCV voting results have not been officially announced yet. We do not know yet, for sure, if repealing RCV has succeeded.
North to Alaska, my guess is the lower voter turnout may have been a factor in the RCV repeal barely passing. but I do not know this for sure.
Truth seeker, in full agreement
With your thoughts. Be interesting
to follow hopefully submitted legislation along the suggested line you present
Cheers
I don’t think anyone gives a crap about the money We just need RCV and Peltola gone
I hope we are able to hang on to the yes vote and repeal RCV, it has no place in the USA.
If this doesn’t illustrate the point that money does not buy election, then nothing does. It’s the better idea or candidate that wins elections.
Alaska will be bought and paid for many times over and above the amount the Russians received when it was sold by billionaires who will never even come close to setting foot on Alaskan soil.
Alaska is much too crude for their posh lifestyle but policy and regulations will be determined by their ideals.
The last frontier is now in the stars above and not on Earth.
Wow! Money spent on media is like throwing money into the air. There’s nothing left of it after it’s spent! Just think what we could have accomplished with that money: better roads; better schools; better airports…the only companies that did well are the media companies. Those big media companies continue to to lie to us! We need a better system. First, I’d recommend that any “left over” money donated to loser Petola be given to local non-profits and not be given to some PAC to fight against Begich the next time!
The liberal media ripped the liberals off. Can’t make this stuff up.
Bottom line: Stop pouring money into bottomless pits of issues that the common tax payer really doesn’t care about. It’s been a delightful 5 days knowing that common sense prevailed this election cycle and comical watching meltdown videos.
Suzanne- good article, but you have a math error. If Harris spent one billion over 100 days she spent $10 million per day, not one million.
What is most astonishing is how ineffective the big spends were at buying the election results. Thank God.
Another math error is this: “The Harris campaign spent $654 million to paid media, and Democratic groups working on behalf of Harris spent $726.1 million on advertising. The total comes close to $14 billion.” Total is $1.38 billion.
A billion dollars and they still lost. Could you imagine what this type of money would have done for homeless communities and those in need? We see where the priorities are for party of love.
“……..Could you imagine what this type of money would have done for homeless communities and those in need………”
Nothing. You can give them all a $million each, and within a year they’d all be in the gutters again.
Proof that it’s more than just an alleged “better way” if so much ‘dark’ money is being poured into it! What’s the big deal anyway??? Because it favors a certain side! Ranked choice is actually not fair and is a tricky way to defeat the candidates and the propositions the vast majority of people really want! It took an enormous effort by the people to turn out to overturn it and restore our elections. Those who came out to vote…GOOD JOB!
Ha, ha!! It appears the only folks who approved Ranked Choice Voting in the election were in Washington, DC, arguably the dumbest and most out of touch with reality area of the country!!!
And given the swamp elects most(if not all) Democrats it will be fun to watch what RCV does to it. Imagine a Republican running as an unaffiliated or undeclared? He or she could actually end up winning because of RCV.😁
To what effect? The place is nearly 100% Democrat already. What is RCV going to achieve in a totalitarian regime when all the choices are the same flavor?
$1 billion raised and spent over 107 days is actually almost $10 million a day. They are also saying she actually spent over $1.3 billion ($12 million a day), leaving the campaign in debt.
SD, didn’t Nick borrow a couple mill from his own bank account though?
No, Greg, he did not. He did infuse cash into his first campaign, however. – sd
Ok thanks for clarifying. I couldn’t remember when.
This is a great article with a lot of good news! I gotta give credit where credit is due: Phil Izon is not just another signature gatherer for the repeal of RCV. He is THE founder and blood and guts behind the whole thing. He himself faced the liberal attacks on the movement. And he’s not done. He’s out informing other states about the dangers of RCV, and starting a new petition drive to get rid of the voting machines. We all owe a huge debt to a great man and fearless patriot!
Very kind thing to say. Yes as citizens we will do more for election integrity than our legislators, Governor, Lt. Governor, or anyone else.
Think about it, every two years we vote to send people to Juneau and they can’t take a moment to address Election Integrity, why wouldn’t that be important?
We need citizens who are going to stand up and make changes to government.
Happy to be apart of that process,
Phil Izon
So, did ballot measure 2 “Officially” pass, or do we have to wait for the next count?
M.John, we are still waiting to find out the “official” results. According to the DOE’s Elections Results page:
“Ranked Choice Voting results will not be available until 15 days after the election (November 20, 2024) once all eligible ballots are reviewed and counted.”
There is no “next count’ A “yes” or “no’” measure isn’t ranked. If division of elections (ie our Lt gov) could actually do the job and count the ballots, calculate the numbers and give us the actual results, we’d know right away.
I agree! But…you know…it takes time to make up ballots that have all the votes marked on them.
“ Take Kamala Harris, for example. Her brief campaign for president raised over $1 billion and lasted just 107 days, which means she burned through $1 million a day.” My “old math” puts the spending at about $9.3 million per day.
Six days since the vote!!! WHERE THE HOLY HELL ARE THE RESULTS?????
I’ve always believed, it ain’t the $$ that elects the people. For the past few years, I’ve been agravated by politics that says the one that has the most $$wins..BUT it’s what the politician stands for. Well, Yes, I also know that $$ does pay for the workers, campaign adds (newspapers/mailbox fliers) and hold rallies, I’m not doubting that at all, but the past few years, I’ve been perplexed by the campaigns that $$$$ PROVES who wins..
kc, just like the local race between Eastman and Jubiilee. She received money from many different organizations. Eastman’s district endorsed him and wanted him representing them. We’ll see if Jubilee wins – I’d say it is all in the money also.