08 December 2008

Candidates Plow nearly $11 million into W.Va. state, legislative races

The Associated Press continued its analysis of campaign finance reports from the 2008 elections by delving into post-general filings and offers overviews of spending by candidates for the Legislative and for such statewide offices as governor and Supreme Court.

AP also compared some of the statewide spending to that seen in other states.

Among other findings:

  • Statewide candidates plunked down a combined $6.6 million, while legislative hopefuls together laid out more than $4.3 million.
  • State Supreme Court candidate spending exceeded $3 million in that two-seat race, but that's less than what was seen in other states this year or in West Virginia in 2004.
  • West Virginia's race for governor, clocking in at under $2.9 million, was among the nation's cheapest in 2008. The priciest was in Washington state, where Gov. Christine Gregoire and Republican Dino Rossi spent a combined $23.6 million.
  • Republican candidate for governor Russ Weeks apparently amassed a smaller campaign chest than any other major party nominee for governor in the 11 states that voted on that office this year.
  • In the most expensive legislative race of the year, "former state Sen. Mike Ross spent nearly $440,000 before losing his rematch against state Sen. Clark Barnes."
  • Ross was among just nine losing candidates who had outspent the winners in their races. The rest had run for the House. All nine are Democrats.
  • "The priciest House contest during the general election season was in Mercer County, where about $47,100 was spent for each of two 25th District seats."
  • "The biggest spender among House candidates during both the primary and general campaigns was Sally Susman, who regained the Raleigh County seat she gave up for an unsuccessful (2006) state Senate bid."

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