Over the past few months, there’s been a torrent of commentary about political donations and campaign spending.  This lavish coverage is based on the premise that campaign spending has an important influence on elections. 

I can see why media consultants would believe money is vitally important: the more money there is the more they make.  I can see why partisans would want to believe money is important: they tend to blame their party’s defeats on the nefarious spending of the other side.  But I can’t see why the rest of us should believe this.  The evidence to support it is so slight. 

Let’s start with the current data.  The vast majority of campaign spending is done by candidates and political parties.  Over the past year, the Democrats, most of whom are incumbents, have been raising and spending far more than the Republicans. 

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Democrats in the most competitive House races have raised an average of 47 percent more than Republicans.  They have spent 66 percent more, and have about 53 percent more in their war chests.  According to the Wesleyan Media Project, between Sept. 1 and Oct. 7, Democrats running for the House and the Senate spent $1.50 on advertising for every $1 spent by Republicans.