1. U.S. President
President Barack Obama vs. Mitt Romney
$142 million vs. $414 million = $556.3 million logged so far *
Most outside money supported Romney, the Republican candidate
Did money = victory? No.
Left: President Barack Obama watches as First Lady Michelle Obama gives a thumbs up at his election night party in Chicago. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Right: Mitt Romney arrives at his election night rally in Boston. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
The presidential race was, far and away, the most expensive. President Obama won re-election over Mitt Romney, despite the larger amount of money — nearly $447 million — that outside groups spent promoting Romney ($118.5 million) and opposing Obama ($329 million). Outside groups spent about $182 million attacking Romney or supporting the president. (The president’s campaign, however,
far outraised the Romney campaign: $540 to $336 million.) Romney’s Restore Our Future super PAC and Karl Rove’s American Crossroads were the two
biggest spenders, with Obama’s super PAC, Priorities USA Action, coming in third.
