New Fundraising Numbers Show Independent Beating Democrats

FEC Filings Reveal Fundraising Totals

Election season is in full swing, but honestly, does it ever really end anymore? And with that comes the wave of big money pouring into campaigns.

Since campaigns have to file quarterly reports with the FEC, we now have a clearer picture of who’s bringing in the most cash.

Independent Candidate Among Top Fundraisers

One thing that stands out this time around is that one of the top fundraisers is actually an independent.

Seth Bodnar, running for U.S. Senate as an independent, pulled in more than 1.3 million. That puts him just behind Troy Downing, who raised about 1.6 million in his reelection bid for the House.

On the Democratic side, Ryan Busse, probably the most recognizable name this year, brought in around $530,000 based on the latest filings.

Questions About Campaign Funding Sources

Now, money alone doesn’t win elections, but it can give you a sense of who’s building momentum and who might have an edge.

At the same time, it raises some fair questions. Why does it take this much money to run for office? Sure, campaigns will say it goes toward ads and name recognition, but where is all that money actually coming from? Is it small donations from Montana citizens, or bigger checks from out-of-state groups?

And when you really think about it, why are we spending over a million dollars chasing a job that pays a fraction of that each year? It also makes you wonder what donors expect in return and whether that lines up with what everyday Montanans actually need.

Personally, I’ll just be glad when November 4th gets here and we get a little break before the next round of political ads starts creeping in.

Source: KULR