The real cost is not the campaign contributions themselves. The real cost is what is paid in return out of public funds. And you helped pay for it. This is repeated over and over. My final objection is biologic.
Elections are for and between human beings.
Well, they bleed, burp, wiggle their toes and have sex. They register for the draft. They register to vote. They go to prison and they have babies and cancer. Eventually they die and are buried or cremated.