• Trump campaign spent approximately $359 million.
• Difference: Harris outspent Trump by $287 million   .
3. Advertising (“ad buys”) from July 22 – election
• Democratic side (Harris + allied groups): $1.37 billion.
• Republican side (Trump + allied groups): $913.9 million.
• Difference: Democrats outspent by $460 million  .
⸻
📊 Summary Table
Election Democratic Out‑spending
2016 (Clinton vs Trump) $230 million
2024 (Harris vs Trump) – campaign-only $287 million
2024 – total operation $455 million
2024 – ad spending $460 million
⸻
🔍 Bottom Line
• Clinton outspent Trump by about $230 million in 2016.
• Harris and her broader network outspent Trump by around $287 million at the campaign level, $455 million including total operation, and $460 million specifically on advertising.
Let me know if you’d like a breakdown by time period, advertising medium (TV vs digital), or comparisons with super PAC spending!
Good analysis work, Dan. Money's one necessary and insufficient driver of the bus. The other is media. Joe Rogan, Fox, etc. Also - the money Musk spent doesn't count against expenditures. Also - if you spend more on consultants' salaries than on social media you misspent your money.
We have to get rid of Citizens United. There is no hope without that. When people bemoan the loss of democracy I always think what democracy. As long as you can buy politics there is no democracy, since even before 2010. It's much worse than the Electoral College. Great post, as usual.
It’s good to see how she explains the flow of history from the ten-thousand foot view!
In 95% of cases money talks, and the argument holds. But there are exceptions. Can you account for the following?
Here’s how the spending comparisons break down:
⸻
💸 Hillary Clinton (2016) vs GOP
• Clinton’s campaign outspent Trump by approximately $230 million during the 2016 presidential race .
⸻
💼 Kamala Harris (2024) vs GOP
1. Overall campaign spending (2023–2024)
• Harris/Biden–Harris operation spent roughly $880 million.
• Trump’s campaign spent about $425 million ().
• Net difference: ~$455 million more from Harris.
2. Campaign committee spending comparison
• Harris campaign spent $646 million directly.
• Trump campaign spent approximately $359 million.
• Difference: Harris outspent Trump by $287 million   .
3. Advertising (“ad buys”) from July 22 – election
• Democratic side (Harris + allied groups): $1.37 billion.
• Republican side (Trump + allied groups): $913.9 million.
• Difference: Democrats outspent by $460 million  .
⸻
📊 Summary Table
Election Democratic Out‑spending
2016 (Clinton vs Trump) $230 million
2024 (Harris vs Trump) – campaign-only $287 million
2024 – total operation $455 million
2024 – ad spending $460 million
⸻
🔍 Bottom Line
• Clinton outspent Trump by about $230 million in 2016.
• Harris and her broader network outspent Trump by around $287 million at the campaign level, $455 million including total operation, and $460 million specifically on advertising.
Let me know if you’d like a breakdown by time period, advertising medium (TV vs digital), or comparisons with super PAC spending!
Good analysis work, Dan. Money's one necessary and insufficient driver of the bus. The other is media. Joe Rogan, Fox, etc. Also - the money Musk spent doesn't count against expenditures. Also - if you spend more on consultants' salaries than on social media you misspent your money.
We have to get rid of Citizens United. There is no hope without that. When people bemoan the loss of democracy I always think what democracy. As long as you can buy politics there is no democracy, since even before 2010. It's much worse than the Electoral College. Great post, as usual.
“A Chamber of Democracy meeting”? Yes, please! What a damn good essay, Martha. I forwarded this to my Indivisibles group.