Winners spent big on 2014 US House races
Of the 13 men and women who won U.S. House seats in 2014, 2nd District Congresswoman Renee Ellmers was the biggest spender, while 11th District Congressman Mark Meadows spent the least. Only one losing candidate spent more than the eventual winner in 2014.
Posted — UpdatedEllmers spent $1.7 million in her bid to keep her seat, fending off Democrat Clay Aiken, an entertainer who won a close Democratic primary. Aiken spent $1.18 million, but some of that was to edge out former Commerce Secretary Keith Crisco for the Democratic nomination.
Of the 13 congressional races in North Carolina, winners spent more than their general election foes in all but one case. Democrat Laura Fjeld spent $904,779 in the 6th District race but lost to Republican Mark Walker, who only spent $791,337 over the course of the campaign.
However, aside from Fjeld and Aiken, both Democrats, the only other U.S. House challenger to raise six-figures or more was Vincent Coakley, the Republican who ran against Democrat Alma Adams in the 12th District. Adams won the seat, spending more than twice as much as Coakley.
In all other races, the eventual winners spent at least four times as much as their opponents.