• Home
  • News
    • Politics / Govt
    • Legislature
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
    • Archives
  • Sports
    • Badgers
    • Packers
      • Titletown Report
    • Brewers
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support

Wisconsin Radio Network

Wisconsin News and Sports

You are here: Home / News / Spending on legislative races dropped in 2012 cycle

Spending on legislative races dropped in 2012 cycle

February 20, 2013 By Andrew Beckett

A new report from the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign shows there was less money than usual spent on state legislative races last fall. The analysis shows that in the fall campaign cycle, candidates and outside groups spent about $16.53 million, down from $19.25 million during the 2010 legislative elections.

WDC executive director Mike McCabe says a likely factor in the spending drop during the fall contests was the recall elections over the summer. In the races targeting the governor and several state senators, $93 million was spent. McCabe says that likely meant there was less money to go around once the November elections rolled around.

Legislative redistricting also played a role, with fewer competitive districts in play. McCabe says the most activity came in several key Senate races, as Republicans worked to reclaim the majority they lost in the recall elections over the past two years. Spending by candidates and outside groups topped $2 million in hotly contested Senate races in the 18th and 30th districts.

Despite having less money to spend in the fall, McCabe says incumbent state lawmakers still had quite an advantage over their challengers. Current office holders spent twice as much as their challengers, while the winning candidates in 89 percent of legislative races outspent their opponents.

AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (1:13)

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: News



Featured Stories

Packers get rematch with Tampa Bay in NFC Championship

12th ranked Wisconsin sweeps Arizona State

Packers one win away from Super Bowl

No. 2 Wisconsin women’s hockey sweep’s No. 1 Minnesota

Golden Eagles hold off Red Storm

TwitterFacebook

Listen Now | More from Titletown ยป

Sports Headlines

Packers get rematch with Tampa Bay in NFC Championship

12th ranked Wisconsin sweeps Arizona State

Packers one win away from Super Bowl

No. 2 Wisconsin women’s hockey sweep’s No. 1 Minnesota

Golden Eagles hold off Red Storm

More Sports

Tweets by @WRN

Get our news delivered to your inbox:

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Copyright © 2021 · Learfield News & Ag, LLC