September/October 2010 Issue

The Price of Admission to the House and Senate

The 2010 elections at a glance: Yes, incumbents have the financial advantage.

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Read also: The rest of this special report, a note on sourcing, and MoJo‘s daily political coverage.

How much does it really cost to run for a House or Senate seat?

Total raised for 2010 election: $1.27 billion
House candidates: $706.8 million
Senate candidates: $568.1 million

Congressional incumbent reelection rate, 2008: 94%

Average spent by House race winners, 2008:
$1.4 million
Average raised by challengers, 2010: $166,000
Average raised by incumbents, 2010: $1 million

Average spent by Senate race winners, 2008:
$8.5 million
Average raised by challengers, 2010: $519,000
Average raised by incumbents, 2010: $9.4 million

As of July 26

2010 at a Glance

Total registered candidates:
2,051
(including primary losers)

Incumbents running:
451

Total raised by Democrats:

$621.4 million
(49% of total)

Total raised by Republicans:
$638 million
(50% of total)

As of July 26

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Our team has been on fire lately—publishing sweeping, one-of-a-kind investigations, ambitious, groundbreaking projects, and even releasing “the holy shit documentary of the year.” And that’s on top of protecting free and fair elections and standing up to bullies and BS when others in the media don’t.

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So, two things:

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2) If you’re not ready to donate but you’re interested enough in our work to be reading this, please consider signing up for our free Mother Jones Daily newsletter to get to know us and our reporting better. Maybe once you do, you’ll see it’s something worth supporting.

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