California Congressmen Brad Sherman and Howard Berman Spent $11,700,000 in their Election Race Against Each Other
December 12th, 2012The Hill writes here that California Democratic Congressmen Brad Sherman and Howard Berman spent $11,700,000 in their campaigns against each other to represent the California 30th district. This is the most expensive California U.S. House race ever, when independent expenditures are excluded.
They were both incumbents, forced to run against each other by redistricting. The top-two system did not cause them to run against each other; redistricting did that. But without the top-two system, their race against each other would have been over in the June primary. The top-two system forced them to run against each other in June and in November as well, and thus the top-two system contributed to the record amount spent.
December 12th, 2012 at 11:06 am
How much to do a P.R. and nonpartisan App.V. petition in wonderful CA (ignoring the earthquakes, floods and fires) — to merely save Western Civilization from its gerrymander suicidal doom spiral ???
December 12th, 2012 at 12:38 pm
“Top-two” is now being recognized as a disaster, and its most deleterious effects have not even kicked in yet.
It’s time to repeal “top-two.”
December 12th, 2012 at 4:30 pm
When outside expenditures are included this was not the costliest congressional election in California, CA-52 was.
December 12th, 2012 at 5:23 pm
@2 Right you are!