Thank you for reading Message Box. This is a community of more than 160,000 activists, organizers, political junkies, and others who care about our democracy. I’m privileged to write for such an incredible group. Special thanks to our paid subscribers, who make it all possible. If you’re not yet one, I hope you’ll consider upgrading to support one of the few outlets not owned by a MAGA billionaire. Republicans Outspent Democrats by $400 Million. Why Did They Still Lose?Cheaper ads, smarter buys, and a message nobody could outspend.
In the run-up to the election, polls and momentum on candidate quality favored the Democrats, but Republicans had the money. Just an absolute metric fuck-ton of money (that’s an industry term). Across the entire cycle, Republicans outspent Democrats by more than $400 million and had a money advantage in nearly every single race of consequence. In the final weeks, the Republicans clung to the idea that the money would save them — particularly in the deep red states and districts where Democrats were making a late play. Elon Musk alone spent more than $400 million, including about $200 million in Texas for Ken Paxton, who lost by double digits. Republicans outspent Democrats everywhere, yet it mattered almost nowhere. What happened? Does money not matter anymore? Did the GOP just light a pile of money on fire? 1. Does Money Still Matter?There is no question that both parties spending $11 billion mostly on old-school television advertising is one of the least efficient and effective uses of money in American history. Put aside all of the better uses for that money in the world — like feeding the hungry, health care, supplies for teachers, etc. — there were better uses in the campaigns. First, it’s just much harder to reach people via linear television. People have cut the cord. They watch less traditional television. The people who watch the news are inherently more partisan and less likely to be persuadable. The only way to reach people at scale is during sporting events, but it’s hard to think of a time when people are less open to political persuasion than when trying to watch a football game with friends and family on the weekend... Continue reading this post for free in the Substack app
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