FEC Home Page

For Immediate Release
June 18, 2003
Contact: Bob Biersack
Ron Harris
Ian Stirton
Kelly Huff
HOUSE AND SENATE CANDIDATES SPEND $936 MILLION DURING 2001-2002
WASHINGTON – House and Senate candidates spent a total of $936.4 million seeking office during 2001-2002, according to a Federal Election Commission summary. The 2,097 candidates who participated in primary and general election campaigns for the U.S. Congress raised a total of $969.5 million dollars during those two years. These figures were 7% below the record financial activity in the Congressional campaigns of 2000.

All of the decline was found among Senate races, where an unusual set of campaigns in large states during 2000 led to extraordinary spending in the 2000 campaign. During 2001-2002, Senate candidates raised $326.1 million and spent $322.4 million, about 25% below 2000 levels. House candidates, by contrast, increased their financial activity during 2001-2002, raising $643.3 million, 5% above 2000 totals, while spending $613.9 million, up 7% from the previous election.

The following chart summarizes the financial activity of all Congressional campaigns by two-year period (in millions of dollars):

2001-2002 1999-2000 1997-98 1995-96 1993-94 1991-92 1989-90 1987-88

Raised $969.5 $1,047.3 $781.3 $790.5 $740.5 $659.3 $471.7 $477.6
Spent $936.3 $1,005.6 $740.4 $765.3 $725.2 $680.2 $446.3 $459.0
No. of Candidates 2097 2416 2100 2605 2376 2950 1759 1792

Contributions directly from individuals totaled $536.8 million and, at 55% of total receipts, represent the largest source of funds for both House and Senate candidates. Contributions from PACs totaled $274.3 million, or 28% of receipts. Candidates themselves provided $110.2 million, which represented 11.4% of all fundraising. Contributions directly from individuals are more important in Senate campaigns (66% of receipts) than in House races (50%) while PACs represent a larger percentage of receipts for House candidates (33% vs. 18% in Senate races). PAC contributions were the only major source of receipts that increased in Senate campaigns between 2000 and 2002, however, growing by nearly 16% to $60.2 million. PACs gave House campaigns $214.1 million, 11% more than in 2000.

The chart below provides amounts (in millions of dollars) and percentages of PAC contributions in Congressional campaigns for the past five campaigns:

2002 % of Receipts 2000 % of Receipts 1998 % of Receipts 1996 % of Receipts 1994 % of Receipts

All $274.3 28% $245.4 23% $206.8 26% $201.4 25% $178.8 24%

Senate $60.2 18% $52.0 12% $48.1 17% $45.6 16% $46.7 15%

House $214.1 33% $193.4 32% $158.7 32% $155.8 31% $132.1 31%

The following table summarizes the activity of winning campaigns (special elections not included) during the same five campaigns:

Financial Activity of Winning Congressional Candidates (in millions of dollars)  
2002 2000 1998 1996 1994

Senate Raised $171.6 $247.4 $163.0 $124.9 $151.0
Spent $166.7 $244.8 $158.3 $128.0 $150.7
PAC $ $42.1 $31.1 $36.5 $29.6 $32.7

House Raised $416.5 $404.8 $328.4 $321.9 $245.8
Spent $387.5 $368.6 $289.8 $297.2 $230.6
PAC $ $173.2 $162.5 $132.5 $122.8 $97.6

Information attached to this release provides summary data on the following:

  • Overall summary of all Senate and House campaigns based on political party and candidate status (incumbent, challenger, and open seat);
  • Overall summary of Senate and House General Election campaigns based on political party and candidate status;
  • Comparable statistics for seven campaign cycles;
  • Median activity for various types of House races and comparisons with prior elections;
  • Contributions from individuals by size of contribution;
  • Six-year financial summaries for 2000 Senate candidates;
  • Financial summaries for all General Election House candidates;
  • Top 50 rankings of candidates in various categories.

This release and data contained in it are also available on the FECs website at www.fec.gov under News Releases or Campaign Finance Reports and Data.

Tables

Files marked [PDF] can be viewed using Adobe Reader available from Adobe. Files marked [EXCEL] can be viewed using Excel available from Microsoft.

Summary of All 2001-2002 Congressional Campaigns [PDF] [EXCEL]

Historical Comparison for All Campaigns 1990-2002 [PDF] [EXCEL]

Individual Contributions to Congressional Campaigns by Size 2001-2002 [PDF] [EXCEL]

Summary of General Election Congressional Campaigns 2001-2002 [PDF] [EXCEL]

Historical Comparison for General Election Campaigns 1990-2002 [PDF] [EXCEL]

Median House Campaign Receipts by Type of Campaign [PDF] [EXCEL]

Median Activity in Close House Races [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 Lists

Top 50 Senate Receipts [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 Senate Contributions from Individuals [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 Senate Contributions from Other Committees [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 Senate Contributions and Loans from the Candidate [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 Senate Disbursements [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 Senate Cash on Hand [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 Senate Debts [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 House Receipts [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 House Contributions from Individuals [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 House Contributions from Other Committees [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 House Contributions and Loans from the Candidate [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 House Disbursements [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 House Cash on Hand [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 House Debts [PDF] [EXCEL]


Top 50 House Incumbent Receipts [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 House Incumbent Contributions from Individuals [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 House Incumbent Contributions from Other Committees [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 House Incumbent Disbursements [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 House Incumbent Cash On Hand [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 House Incumbent Debts [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 House Challenger Receipts [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 House Challenger Contributions from Individuals [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 House Challenger Contributions from Other Committees [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 House Challenger Disbursements [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 House Challenger Cash on Hand [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 House Challenger Debts [PDF] [EXCEL]


Top 50 House Open Seat Receipts [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 House Open Seat Contributions from Individuals [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 House Open Seat Contributions from Other Committees [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 House Open Seat Disbursements [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 House Open Seat Cash on Hand [PDF] [EXCEL]

Top 50 House Open Seat Debts [PDF] [EXCEL]


State by State Listings for Senate Campaigns [PDF] [EXCEL]

House Campaign Summaries [PDF] [EXCEL]

Footnotes

1. Figures in the first two tables and the detailed listings of candidates cover from January 1, 2001, or whenever the campaign registered during the year, through December 31, 2002 or the last report filed by the campaign as indicated.

2. Net receipt and net disbursement figures are total receipts and total disbursements, as reported by the campaigns, minus any money transferred between committees of the same campaign.

3. Columns entitled "contrib from other cmtes" are moneys contributed to campaigns by PACs and other committees as reported by the campaigns. Other committees include primarily committees of other candidates.

4. On the Senate listings, the column titled "candidate support" includes contributions by the candidate as well as loans made or guaranteed by the candidate. The column titled "trans from other auth" includes moneys transferred from House committees of candidates for the Senate, as well as proceeds from joint fundraising activity among several candidates or committees. Contributions from individuals and PACs made through these joint fundraising efforts are NOT included in the "individual contributions" or "other cmte contributions" columns.

5. Open seat races are those in which the incumbent did not seek reelection.

6. Detailed listings of candidates include those House general election candidates who reported receipts before December 31, 2002.

7. Some House members or former House candidates who are or were running for the Senate in 2002 changed their former House campaign committees into their Senate campaign committees. Financial activity related solely to their Senate campaigns cannot be isolated. (See Chambliss [GA], Thune [SD], and Warren [NC]).

8. Party abbreviations in the listing of House campaigns are:

DEM
Democrat LIB - Libertarian
DFL
Democrat/Farmer/Labor (MN) PAF - Peace and Freedom
REP
Republican IND - Independent
RTL
Right to Life LBL - Liberal

9. Several candidates report significant debts at least some of which were incurred in previous election cycles. These include;

  • James Humphreys (WV)
  • Phil Sudan (TX)
  • Roger Kahn (GA)
  • Gordon Smith (OR)
  • Darrell Issa (CA)
  • Christopher Cannon (UT)
  • Doug Ose (CA)