Total raised and spent includes funds from presidential campaigns, the two national parties,
joint fundraising committees and super PACs. A full list is
here.
The
Washington Post has introduced a new
2012 Presidential Campaign Finance Explorer so you can track the spending going on with the campaigns. They are including official campaign accounts, party committees and outside groups.
This chart above shows Romney enjoyed a significant fundraising edge in May, June and July, which we knew, but I always appreciate the at-glance-view. And the spending while initially showing an Obama edge, has now evened out.
So what kind of return is Mr. Super Fantastic Business Wizard™ getting on his investment into the enterprise of Mitt Romney For President, Inc.?
Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha!
They didn't move the bar at all with all the spending and are losing enough ground the words "free fall" may be on the tips of pundit's tongues.
I've been remembering that Arianna's ex-hubby Michael Huffington tried to buy himself a Senate seat and failed. Last cycle Carly Fiorina and Meg Whitman tried to buy their way into office, and likewise, failed. So, we have a good body of evidence to suggest Californians can't be bought, but the rest of the country, who knew? Early returns are looking good.
In general, I believe you have to have enough money to compete—very obviously—but once you reach that bar, there's a diminishing rate of returns. Advertising professionals have long told clients that no slickly produced ad in the world can get the dog to eat to food if its stinks. And voters have gotten a good whiff of The Stench.
Things are looking bad for Team Romney, since Obama's spending and fundraising is beginning equal and surpass that of Romney's. Surely soon, Quarter Billionaire's high dollar fundraisers will be wondering if he's worth further investments, or if their money is better tasked to more fruitful pursuits. They could spent it on engineering products the country wants more, like jets with roll-down windows.
I guess that's why Queen Ann has sent out a plea to all you people to dig deep!
Now is not the time to ask what Quarter Billionaire can do for the country, but rather ask what you can do for Quarter Billionaire!