Who was the big winner of in California during the 2018 election: TV stations running all those paid TV spots.
California Target Book data shows that spending on the 2018 election cycle – including congressional races, gubernatorial race, and statewide initiatives – was over $1 billion. That billion dollars includes more than $287 million on congressional candidates, $20 million on the Senate race, and more than $366 million spent on statewide initiatives – including $111 million by dialysis clinics to protect their profits.
“We’ve never seen anything like the money spent on these congressional races,” Fred Smoller, associate professor of political science at Chapman University, told NBC News. “The tremendous interest in the election is reflected in the money and in the turnout.”
The billion dollars spent this year breaks down to about $50 per registered voter.
