The US midterm elections are on course to become the most expensive in history, estimated at well over $5bn (£3.15bn) – an indication of how much is riding on the outcome of the biggest test of US public opinion since the 2008 White House race.
With the Democrats facing electoral disaster next month and Barack Obama battling to save his presidency, the Republicans are resurgent, their campaign chests bursting with money from big corporations whose spending power has been unleashed by a supreme court ruling earlier this year providing anonymity for donors.
The estimated $5bn dwarfs the $1bn spent on the White House race.
Public Citizen, a non-profit oganisation that tracks corporate spending on elections and lobbying, said today Republicans received cash from the corporations at a ratio of six to one over the Democrats last month, and this could rise to 10 to one this month. It identifies much of the cash as coming from Wall Street, banking and the health and pharmaceuticals industry.
Full Story: US midterms set to become most expensive elections in country’s history | World news | The Guardian
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