Last night, Trump and the Republicans defeated Democrats who were more heavily funded.
In January 2010, the Supreme Court decided Citizens United v. FEC, which government trusters described as heralding an era of “unlimited” control of American politics by campaign donors.
There have been powerful movements to overturn the decision by repealing parts of the 1st amendment. Every claim supporting these movements is untrue.
Every single claim.
There have now been 4 major national elections after Citizens United. The side which spent the most money lost all 4:
In 2010, Democrats outspent Republicans but were soundly defeated across the U.S. Republicans took control of the U.S. House and added six U.S. Senators. Republicans also flipped 18 state legislative bodies to Republican control.
In 2012, Republicans outspent Democrats. Romney outspent Obama. Yet Obama held the White House and Democrats carved back on Republican control of the House and added to their control of the Senate.
In 2014 the situation was reversed again. Republicans were vastly outspent by Democrats. The biggest individual donors were Democrats. The 2 largest superPACs were Democratic and spent more than twice what the 2 largest Republican superPACs spent. Yet it was a “wave” election” in favor of Republicans who took over the Senate and added governors and state legislators.
Now we learn that forces supporting Trump were VASTLY outspent by forces supporting Hillary. See here.
In total, Trump raised at least $270 million, a little more than a third of the money that Obama’s re-election campaign spent in 2012. Trump spent less than 5 dollars per vote.
Clinton raised and spent $521 million–about twice as much.
