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.

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.


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

HERE’S WHERE YOU COME IN

We’ll say it loud and clear: No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

HERE’S WHERE YOU COME IN

We’ll say it loud and clear: No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate