The 2022 election is expected to be the most expensive midterm election in history for state and federal races, according to OpenSecrets. The nonpartisan group projects spending will surpass $16.7 billion by Election Day.
Federal candidates and outside groups are expected to spend $8.9 billion, well beyond the inflation-adjusted $7.1 billion spent in 2018. State candidates, party committees, and groups supporting ballot measures are on track to raise $7.8 billion, outpacing the inflation-adjusted $6.6 billion raised in 2018.
“I hate the campaigns as much as anybody does. But I think if we’re going to have these robust elections in swing states, they’re going to be expensive,” South Dakota Republican Rep. Dusty Johnson told Straight Arrow News. The lawmaker noted that politicians spending trillions of dollars in D.C. may not be fiscally responsible, but it’s necessary.
“When you’ve got these high-profile Senate seats like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Arizona, Georgia, it’s hard to tell the candidates, gosh, even if somebody wants to give you 100 bucks, ‘Don’t spend it on radio ads,’” Johnson said.
Spending has picked up as Republicans and Democrats have battled on the issues of the economy and abortion. Johnson said he predicts a variety of different solutions brought forth at the state level.
“Politics is not a spectator sport. And I think you’re seeing across this country, that people are really fed up with inflation,” Johnson said. “They’re fed up with a border that allows 2 million people to illegally cross that border every single year. And frankly, they don’t like the violent crime is on the rise in cities. And those sort of highly emotional issues are driving up motivation.”