Staff Reports
Oh, what a waste of money! The Republican presidential primary is turning into a money pit for candidates who just can’t seem to catch a break. According to Federal Election Commission filings, over half a dozen major GOP candidates have dropped out of the race after collectively spending more than $300 million on their ill-fated campaigns. It’s like throwing money into a black hole!
Here's How Much Republican Candidates Shelled Out On Losing Presidential Bidshttps://t.co/InIzfMxxqI
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) February 6, 2024
Ron DeSantis, Doug Burgum, Tim Scott, Asa Hutchinson, Vivek Ramaswamy, Chris Christie, Mike Pence, and Francis Suarez are among the casualties of this spending spree. These poor souls blew through at least $327 million during the 2024 election cycle. Talk about burning through cash faster than a wildfire!
DeSantis, the latest dropout, burned up a staggering $160 million on his presidential bid. What a shocker! His former staffers cited a lack of organization, inexperienced leadership, poor communication strategy, and micromanagement as the downfall of the campaign. Maybe if they spent less time micromanaging and more time formulating a coherent message, things would have turned out differently. But who am I kidding? These are politicians we’re talking about!
Vivek Ramaswamy wasn’t far behind in terms of spending. His campaign dropped $35.5 million, and the American Exceptionalism PAC, the super PAC supporting him, chipped in an additional $8.4 million. But hey, at least Ramaswamy can say he was his own biggest donor. Unfortunately, it seems like his spending was overshadowed by other campaigns. Ouch!
But let’s not forget the elephant in the room – Donald Trump. No amount of money was enough to dethrone the former president from his dominant position in the primary. Despite all the millions thrown at other candidates, Trump’s support among Republicans has only grown stronger. According to FiveThirtyEight, Trump was sitting pretty at 45.9% support in the Republican primary as of January 9, 2023. As of February 5, that number has surged to a whopping 73.4%. Trump is like a cat with nine lives – no matter what happens, he always comes out on top.
So, what did all these candidates and their super PACs get for their lavish spending? Not much, it seems. Nikki Haley is now the only major challenger to Trump, and even she has lost two contests in a row. Plus, she trails the former president by over fifty points in national polling. It’s like trying to outrun a freight train – good luck with that!
Some of these candidates didn’t even make it to the first primary election before dropping out. Chris Christie burned through over $5 million and called it quits less than a week before the Iowa caucus. Talk about bad timing! And poor Doug Burgum spent a whopping $17.8 million before throwing in the towel. The pro-Burgum Best of America PAC added insult to injury by spending an additional $23.9 million on his doomed campaign. It just goes to show that money can’t buy you love – or votes, apparently.
In the end, it’s the donors who really lost out. They poured hundreds of millions of dollars into these candidates’ pockets, hoping for a change in leadership. But instead, they got disappointment and empty campaign promises. Maybe one day, these donors will learn that throwing money at a problem won’t solve it. They should try donating to causes that actually make a difference – like helping veterans or supporting small businesses. Just a thought!
And there you have it folks, another episode of “The Great Republican Cash Burn” has come to a close. Now, let’s see who will throw their hats into the ring next and begin the cycle all over again. Stay tuned!
