How much does it cost to run for office?

[cally]

I just heard that any Dem who wants to win the 'open' State Assembly seat in my area should plan on raising $400,000. :wtf: $400,000!! Who knows how much for an open congressional seat or state Senate seat. I think Boxer raised many millions for her Senate re-election. This is insane. School board races cans cost $40 to $50 thousand.

We will never take back our country if we don't deal with campaign contributions and the need to raise obscene amounts of money to be elected. I'm not faulting any candidate, but I think the system is crazy.

[McKenzie]

1. you have it in one my friend

the corporate system has taken over...money buys influence. Poor people don't get representation; they get taxation though...

A parallel is the legal system, not just in the US but in the UK too. We often hear of cases where someone cannot "afford" justice. What a fucking topsy-turvy state of affairs.

Until money is divorced from politics (and the legal system) money will always win. Every damned time. When was the last time a poor person got elected to real power or took on corporate wealth? (OK, the McLibel case is an oddity and a rare one at that)

I share your disgust over what we have allowed to happen.

[SoCalifer]

2. For All Practical Purposes

It will cost you your soul to the CFR (council on foreign relations). Unless you happen to reside in one of those very few districts where the constituents are intuitively aware of and therefore not likely to be fooled by their rhetoric..

[Armybrat]

3. sigh...

...us "little guys" will never be represented in our form of govt. if only the rich and elite are able to run!

[Delphinus]

4. A friend of mine

just ran for Congress - didn't win - raised less than $25k.

Unfortunately, if you're not rich, you're probably not going to get the opportunity to represent your country.

[manic expression]

5. A very, very large amount of money

This is "democracy" in America.


I, myself, was wondering: Is it possible to run a purely grassroots campaign? Could a person simply work the streets and get their name out there with the people? Could this realistically be done?

[Wilms]

6. I thought Dean did well with raising $ from ordinary folk. n/t

[blondeatlast]

7. DU's own dorktv ran a respectable campaign against JD Hayworth here in AZ.

It was all about grassroots, too; she got virtually no support from the state party besides lip service.

She managed 100,000 votes and it was ALL grassroots. I think it can be done with strong party support at all levels. Comsidering what she was up against, that is a very impressive showing.

With enough focus on grassroots organizing (something I think the Dems did not manage well in '04), it can be done. I think it's key--we will never be able to compete with RW well-oiled machine, so we need to take a Luddite approach.