999 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20463 (800) 424-9530 In Washington (202) 694-1000.
For Immediate Release Contact: Judith Ingram
June 8, 2009 Julia Queen
Christian Hilland
2008 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN FINANCIAL ACTIVITY SUMMARIZED:
RECEIPTS NEARLY DOUBLE 2004 TOTAL
WASHINGTON ― Financial activity of 2008 presidential candidates and national
party convention committees increased 80% in receipts over the 2004
presidential election, totaling more than $1.8 billion. The Republican
presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain (AZ), received $84.1 million in public
funds to conduct his general election campaign and raised an additional $46.4
million for legal and accounting expenses. The Democratic presidential
nominee, then-Sen. Barack Obama (IL), raised a total of $745.7 million in
private funds for his primary nomination and general election campaign. It was
the first time in the history of presidential public financing that a major party
nominee declined to accept public funds for the general election.
The two parties received $16.8 million each from the treasury for their
nominating conventions, while host committees raised a total of $124.3 million
in support of their activities. A table attached to this release summarizes these
three categories of activity for the last four presidential campaigns.
Individuals, parties and other groups spent $168.8 million independently
advocating the election or defeat of presidential candidates during the 2008
campaign. In the three previous cycles, similar spending totaled $192.4 million,
$14.7 million, and $1.4 million, respectively. There is no limit on the amount
that may be spent on these activities given that the spending is independent of
the candidates.
In 2008, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) spent $1.1 million on
independent expenditures, while the Republican National Committee (RNC)
spent $53.5 million. The national parties also spent a combined $25.3 million in
coordination with the 2008 presidential campaigns during the general election
period. Each party was permitted to spend up to $19.15 million on this activity.
In the three previous elections, parties spent $32.1 million, $27.2 million, and
$18.7 million, respectively, on coordinated expenditures.
Membership organizations reported spending $18.1 million in communications
to their members advocating the election or defeat of a presidential
candidate―an almost $6 million increase over what they reported during the
2004 presidential election.
In 2008, groups reported spending $27.8 million on electioneering
communications that referenced a political candidate―a decrease of $13 million
from the 2004 election. An electioneering communication is a broadcast, cable
or satellite communication that refers to a clearly identified federal candidate
and is distributed prior to an election. Additional tables attached to this release
provide details about the sources of receipts for presidential pre-nomination
campaigns and information about how the money was spent.
This was only the second cycle in which both major party nominees declined
public matching funds during the primaries. The $21.7 million paid in those
funds to other primary candidates was the lowest since the first presidential
election conducted under the public funding program in 1976. The Obama
campaign’s total receipts of $745.7 million for the 2008 election are equivalent
to more than half of the $1.49 billion provided in public funds to all presidential
candidates, parties, and conventions since the inception of the public funding
program.
President Obama’s campaign transferred more than $41 million to Democratic
Party committees at both the national and state levels, with $8.5 million going
to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Democratic
Congressional Campaign Committee. The committee ended 2008 with $18.3
million in cash on hand and $1.9 in outstanding debt. Sen. McCain’s
presidential primary campaign transferred more than $18.6 million to state and
local party committees.
###
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is an independent regulatory agency that
administers and enforces federal campaign finance laws. The FEC has jurisdiction over
the financing of campaigns for the U.S. House, the U.S. Senate, the U.S. Presidency
and the U.S. Vice Presidency. Established in 1975, the FEC is composed of six
Commissioners who are nominated by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
Primary Campaigns
McCain $219.6 Bush $269.6 Bush $95.5 Clinton $42.5
Kerry $234.6 Gore $48.1 Dole $44.9
All Others $580.7 All Others $169.7 All Others $208.0 All Others $160.9
General Election Campaigns
Major Party Grant** $84.1 Major Party Grants $149.2 Major Party Grants $135.2 Major Party Grants $123.6
McCain Legal/Accounting $46.4 Bush Legal/Accounting $12.2 Bush Legal/Accounting $9.0 Clinton Legal/Accounting $4.2
Kerry Legal/Accounting $8.9 Gore Legal/Accounting $11.5 Dole Legal/Accounting $3.5
** Only McCain accepted the Grant Reform Grant $12.6 Perot Grant $29.0
Obama (Primary and General) $745.7
Conventions
Major Party Grants $33.6 Major Party Grants $29.8 Major Party Grants $27.0 Major Party Grants $24.7
Denver Host (Dem) $61.9 Boston Host (Dem) $56.8 Los Angeles Host (Dem) $29.3 Chicago Host (Dem) $20.4
Minneapolis Host (Rep) $62.4 NY Host (Rep) $85.7 Philadelphia Host (Rep) $70.8 San Diego Host (Rep) $24.2
Reform Grant $2.5
Total $1,834.4 $1,016.5 $649.5 $477.9
Independent Expenditures For $68.1 $85.7 $12.7 $0.6
Independent Expenditures Against $100.7 $106.7 $2.0 $0.8
Communication Costs For $16.0 $11.9 $10.9 $2.4
Communication Costs Against $2.1 $0.4 $0.6 $0.3
Electioneering Communications $27.8 $40.8
Presidential Campaign Receipts
(in millions of dollars)
1996200020042008
Democrats
Biden $2,027,072 $7,767,364 $210,745 $0 $0 $1,900,000 $12,624 $11,917,805
Clinton $0 $196,842,746 $1,439,279 $13,175,000 $0 $10,029,145 $2,373,055 $223,859,225
Dodd* $1,447,568 $8,889,713 $750,698 $0 -$144,757 $4,739,005 $55,535 $15,737,763
Edwards $12,882,864 $35,126,205 $0 $0 $1,409,203 $0 $161,739 $48,158,668
Gravel** $100,000 $448,053 $502 $3,000 $0 $0 $0 $551,555
Kucinich $1,070,521 $4,375,584 $14,200 $10,347 $0 $0 $9,209 $5,479,860
Obama*** $0 $657,117,793 $480 $0 $0 $86,950,000 $1,668,000 $745,736,273
Richardson $0 $22,053,014 $278,829 $2,300 $0 $0 $65,608 $22,399,751
Republicans
Brownback $0 $3,530,942 $49,435 $25 $0 $575,000 $87,069 $4,242,471
Gilmore $0 $349,736 $8,000 $0 $30,404 $0 $4 $388,145
Giuliani $0 $55,008,874 $397,259 $800,000 $0 $2,038,269 $412,489 $58,656,891
Huckabee $0 $15,991,901 $54,423 $0 $0 $0 $13,663 $16,059,987
Hunter $453,527 $2,343,898 $41,273 $0 $0 $36,000 $0 $2,874,699
McCain $0 $190,411,677 $1,301,134 $0 $0 $22,825,545 $5,052,695 $219,591,051
Paul $0 $34,336,199 $18,302 $0 $0 $0 $180,402 $34,534,903
Romney $0 $59,786,640 $350,802 $44,663,736 $0 $20,160 $335,214 $105,156,552
Tancredo** $2,145,126 $3,979,701 $6,525 $125 -$49,420 $100,000 $36,168 $6,218,225
T. Thompson $0 $967,322 $10,174 $234,760 $0 $0 $998 $1,213,254
F. Thompson $0 $23,202,419 $176,555 $0 $0 $0 $69,506 $23,448,481
Other
Nader $881,494 $3,102,020 $0 $45,236 $0 $0 $0 $4,028,750
Total Democrats $17,528,025 $932,620,472 $2,694,733 $13,190,647 $1,264,446 $103,618,150 $4,345,769 $1,073,840,899
Total Republicans $2,598,653 $389,909,310 $2,413,883 $45,698,646 -$19,016 $25,594,974 $6,188,208 $472,384,657
Grand Total $21,008,172 $1,325,631,802 $5,108,616 $58,934,529 $1,245,430 $129,213,124 $10,533,977 $1,550,254,306
*Dodd received $1,961,742 in matching funds; however his committee reported the receipt of $1,447,568.
**Gravel and Tancredo received an additional $115,966 and $83,775 in matching funds, respectively, in early 2009.
***Obama activity includes both Primary and General election funds because he used a single committee for both elections.
Contributions
and Loans from
the Candidate
Minus
Other Loans
Minus
Repayments
Transfers from
Other Authorized
Committees
Presidential Pre-Nomination Campaign Receipts Through December 31, 2008
Other Receipts Total
Federal Matching
Funds
Contributions From
Individuals Minus
Refunds
Contributions
from Cmte's
Minus Refunds
Democrats
Biden $11,267,792 $0 $0 $11,500 $11,279,292 $0 $29,826 $0 $0
Clinton $215,749,845 $0 $0 $75,403 $215,825,248 $0 $1,574,762 $5,943,385 $0
Dodd $15,143,593 -$5,540 $0 $11,000 $15,149,053 $15,149,663 $485,547 $557,834 $0
Edwards $40,073,078 $3,746,635 $176,298 $268 $43,996,279 $0 $4,191,640 $3,575 $0
Gravel $498,518 $0 $0 $0 $498,518 $551,727 $56,040 $146,072 $935
Kucinich $5,480,666 -$1,546 $0 $0 $5,479,120 $0 $44,074 $0 $0
Obama* $681,357,127 $0 $0 $47,930,903 $729,288,031 $0 $18,272,367 $434,954 $0
Richardson $22,401,549 $0 $0 $0 $22,401,549 $0 $3,201 $27,086 $0
Republicans
Brownback $4,210,664 $13 $0 $97 $4,210,774 $4,210,664 -$451 $0 $0
Gilmore $371,940 $0 $0 $0 $371,940 $371,940 $16,455 $0 $0
Giuliani $58,639,809 $0 $0 $3,093 $58,642,902 $0 $58,847 $3,553,761 $619
Huckabee $16,024,753 $0 $0 $400 $16,025,153 $16,043,517 $50,333 $107,378 $52,063
Hunter $2,822,800 $0 -$3,752 $2,000 $2,821,048 $2,821,965 $53,651 $10,000 $0
McCain $170,666,587 $6,816,641 $1,158,124 $23,440,900 $202,082,251 $0 $1,834,696 $223,808 $549,215
Paul $30,455,936 $0 $0 $0 $30,455,936 $0 $578,967 $0 $0
Romney $105,118,214 $0 $0 $2,100 $105,120,314 $0 $32,588 $250,000 $0
Tancredo $6,048,851 $0 $0 $650 $6,049,501 $6,156,645 $138,482 $0 $0
T. Thompson $1,213,254 $0 $0 $0 $1,213,254 $1,213,254 $0 $0 $0
F. Thompson $23,236,670 $0 $0 $10,600 $23,247,270 $0 $201,211 $52,593 $0
Other
Nader $3,820,411 $0 $0 $0 $3,820,411 $310,769 $143,353 $0 $0
Total Democrats $991,972,169 $3,739,549 $176,298 $48,029,074 $1,043,917,090 $15,701,390 $24,657,459 $7,112,906 $935
Total Republicans $418,809,477 $6,816,653 $1,154,372 $23,459,840 $450,240,342 $30,817,985 $2,964,779 $4,197,539 $601,897
Grand Total $1,414,602,057 $10,556,202 $1,330,670 $71,488,914 $1,497,977,843 $46,830,143 $27,765,590 $11,310,445 $602,832
*Obama financial activity includes both Primary and General funds.
Latest Cash on
Hand
Debts Owed by
Campaign
Debts
Owed to
Campaign
Presidential Pre-Nomination Campaign Disbursements December 31, 2008
Operating
Expenditures
Minus Offsets
Fundraising
Disbursements
Minus Offsets Total
Legal/Accounting
Disbursements Minus
Offsets
Other
Disbursements
Expenditures
Subject to Limit
Primary Matching
Funds Convention General
1976 $24,789,566 $4,149,630 $43,640,000
15 2 2
1980 $31,343,128 $8,832,000 $63,122,304
10 2 3
1984 $36,519,405 $16,160,000 $80,800,000
11 2 2
1988 $67,547,821 $18,440,000 $92,200,000
15 2 2
1992 $42,862,123 $22,096,000 $110,480,000
12 2 2
1996 $58,538,356 $24,728,000 $152,695,400
11 2 3
2000 $62,261,374 $29,546,690 $147,733,452
10 3 3
2004 $28,375,506 $29,848,000 $149,240,000
8 2 2
2008 $21,728,501 $33,641,520 $84,103,800
8 2 1
Public Funds in Presidential Campaigns
Numbers below dollar amounts are the number of candidates/parties receiving funding.
The third candidate receiving general election funding in 1980 was John Anderson.
In 1996, Ross Perot received partial general election funding as a minor party candidate.
In 2000, the Reform party received partial convention funding and Patrick Buchanan received partial
general election funding
in 2008, Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama declined public funding for the general election.
AK ALASKA DEMOCRATIC PARTY $81,402
AL STATE DEMOCRATIC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF ALABAMA $2,600
AR DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF ARKANSAS $2,500
CA SAN DIEGO COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY (FED. ACCT.) $1,666
CO COLORADO DEMOCRATIC PARTY $1,943,511
DC DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE $4,000,000
DEMOCRATIC SENATORIAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE $4,500,000
FL DEMOCRATIC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF FLORIDA $5,516,847
GA GEORGIA FEDERAL ELECTIONS COMMITTEE $360,199
HI DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF HAWAII $2,500
IA IOWA DEMOCRATIC PARTY $697,735
IOWA THIRD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT DEMOCRATIC CENTR $50
IN INDIANA DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL VICTORY COMMITTEE $1,400,291
KS KANSAS DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE $1,000
LA DEMOCRATIC STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF LA $900
MA MASSACHUSETTS DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE - FED FUN $6,850
ME MAINE DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE $150,247
MI MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC STATE CENTRAL COMMITEE $1,947,711
MN MINNESOTA DEMOCRATIC-FARMER-LABOR PARTY $1,246,683
MO MISSOURI DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE $2,035,939
MT MONTANA DEMOCRATIC PARTY $738,277
NC NORTH CAROLINA DEMOCRATIC PARTY - FEDERAL $2,273,018
ND NORTH DAKOTA DEMOCRATIC-NONPARTISAN LEAGUE PARTY $69,848
NE NEBRASKA DEMOCRATIC STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE $50,044
NH NEW HAMPSHIRE DEMOCRATIC PARTY $941,472
NJ NEW JERSEY DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE $85,270
NM DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF NEW MEXICO $449,189
NV DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF WASHOE COUNTY $675
NEVADA STATE DEMOCRATIC PARTY $1,557,661
OH OHIO DEMOCRATIC PARTY $3,020,051
OR DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF OREGON $171,170
PA PENNSYLVANIA DEMOCRATIC PARTY $2,032,519
SC DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF SOUTH CAROLINA $154,430
SD SOUTH DAKOTA DEMOCRATIC PARTY $50
TX TEXAS DEMOCRATIC PARTY $15,825
VA ALEXANDRIA DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE $525
DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF VIRGINIA $3,118,659
VT VERMONT DEMOCRATIC PARTY $25,677
WA WASHINGTON STATE DEMOCRATIC CENTRAL COMMITTEE $151,254
WI DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF WISCONSIN $2,405,000
WV WV STATE DEMOCRATIC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE $71,500
WY WY DEMOCRATIC STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE $2,400
Total $41,233,145
Transfers to Party Committees from Obama for America
CO COLORADO REPUBLICAN FEDERAL CAMPAIGN CMTE $500,000
COLORADO REPUBLICAN FEDERAL CAMPAIGN CMTE $600,000
FL REPUBLICAN PARTY OF FLORIDA $2,000,000
MO MISSOURI REPUBLICAN STATE COMMITTEE $1,000,000
NC NORTH CAROLINA REPUBLICAN EXECUTIVE CMTE $1,000,000
NORTH CAROLINA REPUBLICAN EXECUTIVE CMTE $1,000,000
NORTH CAROLINA REPUBLICAN EXECUTIVE CMTE $925,000
NM REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE OF NEW MEXICO $1,000,000
NV NEVADA REPUBLICAN STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE $500,000
OH OHIO REPUBLICAN PARTY $1,000,000
OHIO REPUBLICAN PARTY STATE CENTRAL & EXEC CMTE $2,000,000
PA REPUBLICAN FEDERAL CMTE OF PENNSYLVANIA $1,000,000
REPUBLICAN FEDERAL COMMITTEE OF PENNSYLVANIA $600,000
VA REPUBLICAN PARTY OF VIRGINIA $1,000,000
REPUBLICAN PARTY OF VIRGINIA $1,000,000
WI REPUBLICAN PARTY OF WISCONSIN $1,000,000
REPUBLICAN PARTY OF WISCONSIN $2,500,000
Total $18,625,000
Transfers to Party Committees from John McCain 2008 Inc.
(Primary Election Committee)