By
OpenSecrets
Raising huge sums is only the first step for any candidate or committee. The money also has to be spent -- and
reported to the Federal Election Commission. While disclosure is often vague or incomplete, the FEC's expenditures
data sheds light on the strategies that campaigns use to turn dollars into votes, the vendors making a fortune on
elections, and the groups living large on their donors' money.
RELATED STORY: Supreme Court Strikes Down Overall Political Donation Cap
RELATED INFORMATION: Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission - The
Supreme Court Ruling That Allowed Campaign Spending to Run Wild and Put All
Elections Up for Sale
Campaigns must report to the FEC the purpose and payee of all
disbursements over $200. The Center
for Responsive Politics uses this information to classify
campaign expenditures into nine major categories:
Administrative, Campaign Expenses, Fundraising, Media,
Contributions, Strategy & Research, Transfers, Wages & Salaries,
and Unclassifiable.
Top Vendors 2014 Cycle
| Rank | Vendor | Amount | From Expenditures | From Independent Expenditures |
|---|
| 1 |
Waterfront Strategies |
$136,704,026 |
$11,147,408 |
$125,556,618 |
| 2 |
Great American Media |
$119,870,370 |
$2,275,577 |
$117,594,793 |
| 3 |
National Media Research |
$91,583,810 |
$359,985 |
$91,223,825 |
| 4 |
Main Street Media |
$53,783,031 |
$180,247 |
$53,602,784 |
| 5 |
Screen Strategies Media |
$46,690,599 |
$45,112,813 |
$1,577,786 |
View All Vendors
Top Spending Candidate Committees 2014 Cycle
| Rank | Committee | Amount |
|---|
| 1 |
McConnell Senate Cmte '14 |
$28,265,382 |
| 2 |
Kay Hagan for US Senate |
$23,863,493 |
| 3 |
Al Franken for Senate 2014 |
$21,389,871 |
| 4 |
Alison for Kentucky |
$18,829,908 |
| 5 |
Friends of Mary Landrieu |
$18,630,874 |
View All Committees
Reprinted with permission from Open Secrets.
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