Unprecedented £12bn election spend marks 2024 US race
The political system of the United States is driven by enormous funds that flow unrestrictedly into presidential and congressional elections. In 2024, candidates, parties, and committees spent nearly £12 billion, with the largest amounts coming from billionaires and powerful political groups, reports "Bloomberg."
The American political scene has relied on massive financial inputs for years. In the 2024 election cycle, presidential and congressional candidates, political parties, and various political action committees (PACs) spent £11.8 billion, accounting for about 92 percent of the total expenditures in the current cycle.
Data from the Federal Election Commission shows that over 11,000 political groups were involved in the 2024 election spending. Each spent at least £80,000, meaning that almost all of the funds (99 percent) came from these larger entities. Among them are gigantic committees supported by billionaires like Elon Musk and smaller interest groups.
ActBlue and WinRed, the largest fundraising committees for Democrats and Republicans, played a key role in election financing, notes "Bloomberg." They processed over 113 million donations, transferring £3.6 billion to other committees. Both platforms account for more than 31 pence of every pound spent on campaigns in the USA, dominating in terms of financial activity.
The first such situation for Donald Trump
One of the key changes in this year's election cycle is the funding structure of Donald Trump's campaign. For the first time, his political operation raised more from the wealthiest donors than from mass donors who previously contributed small amounts below £160, reports "Bloomberg."
Super PACs supporting Trump, according to reports, have collected larger sums from three key figures: Elon Musk, billionaire Miriam Adelson, and investor Timothy Mellon. This shift towards wealthier donors indicates a change in strategy for Trump's campaign financing, which had previously relied mainly on a broad base of small supporters.
However, it is Vice President Kamala Harris who currently has the greatest financial advantage. With support from wealthy donors and mass supporters, her campaign has gathered resources allowing for greater expenditures. Harris has spent £685 million on her campaign, significantly more than the £277 million spent by Trump, it reads.
