$24.3 Million

That’s how much Governor Cooper’s campaign spent.

$16.8 million. That’s how much Pat McCrory’s campaign spent.

$7.5 million. That’s how much more Cooper’s campaign spent than McCrory’s.

44.6 percent. That’s how much more Cooper spent by percentage. Nearly half again what McCrory spent.

These are astounding numbers. And they should give heart to Democrats looking at legislative races in 2017 or 2018.

It’s an astounding achievement, to begin with, for a challenger to outraise an incumbent governor by that much. Normally, the numbers are reversed.

There are three takeaways.

First, the candidate who spends the most money usually wins. And Democrats can outraise Republicans.

Second, if Cooper raised that much as a challenger, what will he raise as an incumbent in 2020? He’ll be tough to beat.

Third, if Team Cooper puts its shoulder to the fundraising wheel for legislative candidates, Democrats’ chances of breaking the supermajority – and eventually becoming the majority – increase exponentially.

 

Avatar photo

Gary Pearce

Categories

Archives

Recent Posts

$24.3 Million

That’s how much Governor Cooper’s campaign spent.

$16.8 million. That’s how much Pat McCrory’s campaign spent.

$7.5 million. That’s how much more Cooper’s campaign spent than McCrory’s.

44.6 percent. That’s how much more Cooper spent by percentage. Nearly half again what McCrory spent.

These are astounding numbers. And they should give heart to Democrats looking at legislative races in 2017 or 2018.

It’s an astounding achievement, to begin with, for a challenger to outraise an incumbent governor by that much. Normally, the numbers are reversed.

There are three takeaways.

First, the candidate who spends the most money usually wins. And Democrats can outraise Republicans.

Second, if Cooper raised that much as a challenger, what will he raise as an incumbent in 2020? He’ll be tough to beat.

Third, if Team Cooper puts its shoulder to the fundraising wheel for legislative candidates, Democrats’ chances of breaking the supermajority – and eventually becoming the majority – increase exponentially.

 

Avatar photo

Gary Pearce

Categories

Archives