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Study estimates 2020 election smashing spending records, record-breaking contributions from women

According to the study, spending during the 2020 election could approach $11 billion, which would reportedly smash records from previous elections.

AUSTIN, Texas — Early voter turnout in Central Texas and across the country made headlines as record numbers of people turned to the polls to cast their votes. 

And according to an early estimate from the Center for Responsive Politics, spending during the 2020 election could approach $11 billion, which would reportedly smash records from previous elections. 

“The 2018 election smashed fundraising records for midterms, and 2020 is going to absolutely crush anything we’ve ever seen — or imagined — before,” said Sheila Krumholz, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics. “This is already the most expensive presidential election in history and there are still months of election spending to account for. The unanswered question is whether this will be the new normal for future elections.” 

According to the center's estimates, the projected spending for the 2020 election would reach $10.8 billion, $2.9 billion more than in 2012, which totaled $7.1 billion when adjusted for inflation. 

A sizable portion of the increased spending has been due to more donations from women, according to the study estimates. The report states that women contributed nearly $1.7 billion this cycle, already surpassing the record-breaking $1.3 billion from 2016. Forty-three percent of political donors in the 2020 cycle are women, the highest percentage on record, according to the report

The Center for Responsive Politics also broke down the studies by donations made to specific hot races, such as the Texas Senate race between incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R) and Democratic nominee M.J. Hegar. 

According to the report, Cornyn has outpaced Hegar in donations $22 million to $6.5 million. 

Other hot races they've kept track of include

  • Texas District 2
    • Dan Crenshaw ($9.2 million)
    • Sima Ladjevardian ($1.6 million)
  • Texas District 7 
    • Lizzie Fletcher ($4.2 million)
    • Wesley Hunt ($3.1 million)
  • Texas District 10
    • Michael McCaul ($2.4 million)
    • Mike Siegel ($886,000)
  • Texas District 21
    • Wendy Davis ($4.4 million)
    • Chip Roy ($2.5 million)
  • Texas District 22
    • Sri Kulkarni ($2.4 million)
    • Troy Nehls ($509,000)
  • Texas District 23
    • Gina Ortiz Jones ($4 million)
    • Tony Gonzales ($1.1 million)
  • Texas District 24
    • Beth Van Duyne ($1.4 million)
    • Candace Valenzuela ($1.1 million)
  • Texas District 31
    • John Carter ($1.5 million)
    • Donna Imam ($249,000)
  • Texas District 32
    • Colin Allred ($3.7 million)
    • Genevieve Collins ($2.6 million)

The report says a battle for control of Congress among the Democrats and Republicans has also contributed to helping the 2020 record-breaking projection. According to the estimate, spending in congressional races is projected to surpass $5.6 billion, which would be a 37% increase over the 2016 election and roughly the same figure as the 2018 midterm elections.

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