Money: obsession to win

11 June 2010 |permalink | email article

A California Watch analysis has shown that Meg Whitman, the former eBay CEO-turned-Republican billionaire, spent an incredible $76 per vote to win her party’s nomination for governor. In sharp contrast, Attorney General and former Gov. Jerry Brown spent less than 50 cents per vote to become the Democratic nominee.

In the 492 days in which she campaigned, Whitman’s burn rate was $161,000. Down the stretch, from May 1 through May 22, she spent more than $6.1 million, or $281,000 per day. In the final days Whitman pumped in an additional $4.8 million, bringing total spending to about $84.2 million.

Brown, by contrast, spent $682,619 through May 22 to win the Democratic nomination. His burn rate since the beginning of 2009 was only $1,300 per day. Brown paid $97,000 to Paychex, his campaign’s payroll firm. It was Brown’s biggest expense. And only slightly more than Whitman paid her top advance man, Edward Miyagishima.

The primary campaign was a bonanza for California TV stations, scores of consultants, direct mail firms, pollsters and fundraisers. TV and cable airtime and production costs totaled $57,203,930. Campaign consultants were paid $11,085, 653, followed by campaign literature and mailings, radio airtime and production costs. Campaign literature and mailings ($5,795,248), and radio airtime and production costs ($5,490,699), were the next highest expenditures.

Whitman seems prepared to spend another $85 million to become governor, a perception, at least among independent voters, that may raise questions about her imperial quest to rule at whatever price.

Mickey Kaus

The contrarian Westside Los Angeles blogger (kausfiles.com) got a lot of late national media attention in the June primary by taking on entrenched Sen. Barbara Boxer along with the opportunity for voters to send the Democratic Party a very loud wakeup call. At 7:15 AM on Election Day Kaus fired off a cryptic message: “We have avoided the mistake of peaking too soon! In fact we’re peaking right now.” It was ironic humor but all for naught. Boxer got 1,426,923 votes (81 percent), compared to 94,298 (5 percent). For Kaus it was a tiny moment of fame.

It reminded me of the Democratic U.S. Senate campaign in 1982 when two-term Gov.  Jerry Brown unsuccessfully sought to segue from Sacramento to Washington but lost to San Diego Republican Mayor Pete Wilson. Gore Vidal, the author, essayist and political agent provocateur, in a whimsical moment, decided to challenge Brown in the primary. Brown won easily but Vidal finished second with a half million votes. He told me afterwards that he was quite amused. 

 

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