1. The Rising Cost of Presidential Campaigns
By: Michelle Allman

2. Cost of Presidential Campaign
Year
Cost of Presidential Campaign
Candidates
1860
2.8 Million
Lincoln vs. Breckinridge vs. Bell
1896
280 Million
McKinley vs. Bryan
1908
102 Million
Taft vs. Bryan
1932
112 Million
FDR vs. Hoover
1956
148 Million
Eisenhower vs. Stevenson
1960
173 Million
Kennedy vs. Nixon
1964
297 Million
LBJ vs. Goldwater
1968
583 Million
Nixon vs. Humphrey vs. Wallace
1972
302 Million
Nixon vs. McGovern

3. Cost of Presidential Campaign
Year
Cost of Presidential Campaign
Candidates
1976
269 Million
Carter vs. Ford
1980
264 Million
Reagan vs. Carter
1984
241 Million
Reagan vs. Mondale
1988
351 Million
Bush vs. Dukakis
1992
299 Million
Clinton vs. Bush vs. Perot
1996
347 Million
Clinton vs. Dole
2000
450 Million
Bush vs. Gore
2004
812 Million
Bush vs. Kerry
2008
1.3 Billion
Obama vs. McCain
2012
5.8 Billion
Obama vs. Romney

5. Significant Rates of Change
From
What if...?
The cost of the presidential campaign increased $22.4 Million each campaign year.
If it had continued to grow at that rate, it would have taken approximately 225 more presidential campaigns (until the year 2892) for the cost to reach $5.8 Billion.
It Happened in 2012

6. Significant Rates of Change
From
Prediction
The cost of the presidential campaign decreased by $281Million per campaign year.
If the cost had continued to shrink at this rate, the cost of the presidential campaign would have become zero in just two presidential campaigns.
If it had continued to shrink, by 2012 the cost would be…

7. Significant Rates of Change
From
Prediction
The cost of the presidential campaign increased $152 Million each campaign year.
If it continued to grow at this rate, the campaign would cost $9.6 Billion.

8. Significant Rates of Change
From
Prediction
The cost of the presidential campaign increased $4.5 Billion per campaign year.
If it continues to grow at this rate, the campaign will cost over $118 Billion.

9. Support Campaign Finance Reform Now