Hey Big Spender

How often does the higher-spending candidate win?

1. How accurate was your prediction?

2. What most surprised you about this data?

3. What is the big story this chart tells?

4. Why do you think that is?

5. What is one consequence of this?

6. Is this good news?

7. How do the numbers in the chart compare from the House to the Senate?

8. Why do you think that is?

9. Although the candidate who outspends their opponent generally wins, there are occasions when the person who spend less money wins. What circumstances usually cause the lesser spender to win?

10. Describe one policy that could decrease the odds of the bigger spender winning?

11. How different do you think these numbers are in countries with campaign finance reform?

12. How do you think the fact that money wins affects democracy?

13. What is one question you have about this chart?

14. 2020 Presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg has pledged to spend as much as $1billion to defeat Trump. Do you think it will work?

15. What does the fact that we currently have two Democratic billionaires running for president tell you about money and the American political system?

16. In an article on How Money Affects Politics, Five thirty Eight argues that while the higher spending candidate usually wins, that does not mean that the money caused the victory. Do you agree with this article’s claim?

17. How would someone who espoused the following ideologies react to the data from the chart?

• Libertarian

• Conservative

• Socialist

• Liberal

Learning Extension

Read Open Secrets' answer to why the person spending the most money usually wins.

Action Extension

Do a little research about the spending on a campaign in your state. Donate time or money to the candidate who is being outspent. Or contact your member of Congress and ask them their position on campaign finance reform. Share this action online or in class.

Visual Extension

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Center For Responsive Politics