This document summarizes campaign financing trends in the 2012 US presidential election. It notes that the 2008 election set fundraising records at $6 billion total. President Obama raised over $6.5 million for his 2008 campaign, with $6 million coming from donations less than $100. The document attributes Obama's fundraising success to his innovative use of social media and the internet to engage supporters and micro-donors. However, it also notes that the rise of Super PACs in 2012 likely reset campaign financing, with more money coming from large donations to outside groups rather than small donors.

1. Campaign Finance
2012 Presidential Campaign
Buddy, can you spare a $1?
Linda Jacobson
7.28.2012
Com 597

2. • 2008 held the record for election fund-raising
– 6 billion in total
• Obama raised over 6.5 million
– 6 million of which were in increments less than
$100, creating a new category of donor called
“micro-donors.”

3. • Voters had historic choices in 2008
• Internet
• Obama credited with innovative
use of social media
• Diminished use of the public
funding program

4. Weintraub and Levine hail the benefits of the
Internet
• makes it easy for candidates to send
invitations to participate along with reminders
• Easy to track “bundler” contributions
• Encourages individual donations
• Pushes and reiterates message
• Makes it easy and quick to attack an opponent
and respond to criticisms or snafus.

5. Bundlers

6. • The public funding program, created as a way
to safeguard against corruption (post
Watergate), was not used by McCain, Obama
or Clinton
• The ability to raise money from individual
contributions far outweighed the bureaucracy
of pulling funds from this source

7. “Obama (and Howard Dean before him) weren’t successful because they
understood computers, they were successful because they understood how to
make technology harness the passion of their supporters”- Republican Strategist
Mark McKinnon

8. • Obama’s bid for President has long been
hailed as the benchmark of social media
success.
• Through the power of engagement, he
electrified his supporters and was able to
collect a record-breaking amount of campaign
contributions

9. Obama had a plan
• His team harnessed the power of the Internet and
employed a strategy that grew along with his momentum.
• The Obama team measured engagement
• Analyzed, tested and continually improved to fix any weak
links and ensure they were using the most effective
messaging.
• They took “new media” seriously and made sure that they
had solid content that engaged, conversation that was
authentic, and built communities that were data-driven
and nimble allowing them to keep the momentum going
and take advantage of communication blunders by the
competition.
• In the end, Obama had over 3 million individual donors
which equated to a much broader voice representative of
the general population.

10. Can Obama’s “extraordinary fundraising success
can be duplicated by other candidates?”

11. • 2012 election most likely will create a new
fundraising record due to the creation of Super
PACs
• Rise of Super PACs
• Obama made request of staunch supporters to
support Priorities USA Action (Dem Super PAC)
• While “micro-donors” still play a role, the
addition of the Super PAC money has set us back

12. Administrative costs of running a
presidential campaign

13. Contributions by state

14. Obama vs. Romney

15. Outside spending

16. Obama vs Romney

17. Obama vs. Romney

18. Super PAC spending

19. Super PAC contributions

20. Obama vs. Romney