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Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson poured $53 million into the 2012 elections via controversial super PACs to back these candidates. All lost. From left to right, Mitt Romney, Connie Mack, George Allen, Allen West, Joe Kyrillos, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, David Dewhurst and Newt Gingrich. West is demanding a recount, however, claiming 'disturbing irregularities at the polls.'
Money can't buy happiness, nor can it buy an election, apparently.
The top donors to super PACs in 2012 did not fare well — casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, the No. 1 super PAC contributor with more than $53 million in giving, backed eight losers at this writing.
Adelson was top backer of the pro-Mitt Romney Restore Our Future super PAC, with $20 million in donations. Romney lost to President Barack Obama. In addition, Adelson's contributions to super PACs backing U.S. Senate candidates in Florida, Virginia and New Jersey were also for naught.
He was not the only conservative billionaire who had a bad night.
Contran Corp. CEO Harold Simmons, (No. 2), homebuilder Bob Perry (No. 3) and TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts, (No.4), also bet on Romney. Collectively, the trio gave $13.4 million to Restore Our Future, and Ricketts' super PAC, Ending Spending Action Fund, spent an additional $9.9 million helping Romney's failed bid.
AP
Fred Eychaner, founder of Chicago-based alternative-newspaper publisher Newsweb Corp., was the only one of the top five donors to super PACs to back a winner -- President Barack Obama.
The super donor winner of the night was Newsweb Corp. CEO Fred Eychaner (No. 5). Eychaner gave $3.5 million to pro-Obama super PAC Priorities USA Action through the most recent filing period, which ended Oct. 17, according to Federal Election Commission records.
Decision 2012 on NBCNews.com: Senate election results
Decision 2012 on NBCNews.com: House election results
In Florida, Republican Rep. Connie Mack lost his challenge to the popular Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, who won with 55 percent of the vote. Adelson gave $2 million to the pro-Mack super PAC Freedom PAC, and Simmons and Perry gave a combined $255,000 to the group.
The hotly contested Senate race in Virginia attracted $2.5 million from Adelson and Perry, both giving to Independence Virginia, the super PAC supporting former Republican Sen. George Allen. His opponent, Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine, won the seat with 52 percent of the vote.
Campaign spending by super PACs in this election cycle topped $1 billion – nearly four times the amount spent by such groups in 2008. Looking back now, how much impact did that money have on the race? Former White House Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton and former RNC Chairman Michael Steele discuss.
Adelson also invested in the re-election of Rep. Allen West, R-Fla., in Florida's 18th District, who narrowly lost to Democratic newcomer Patrick Murphy. On Wednesday, however, West's campaign called for a recount, citing "disturbing irregularities reported at polls."
See which industries funneled the most money into presidential race
The casino billionaire's $1 million to Patriot Prosperity, a New Jersey-specific super PAC supporting the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, Joe Kyrillos, and the Republican candidate for U.S. House in the state's 9th District, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, did not pay off.
Shawn Thew / EPA
Sheldon Adelson, chairman and CEO of the Las Vegas Sands Corp., pumped $53 million into the election, but apparently backed only one minor winner by helping defeat a Michigan ballot initiative.
During the primary season, Adelson's $16.5 million in contributions to the super PAC Winning Our Future was not enough guide former House Majority Leader Newt Gingrich to a Republican presidential nomination, though it is credited with keeping him in the race longer than expected. Nor were Adelson's contributions enough to help Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst win the GOP primary for Texas Senate earlier this year, a cause to which gave at least a quarter-million dollars.
Karl Rove's election nightmare: Super PAC's spending was nearly for naught
Adelson did score one point with his $2 million contribution that helped sink a Michigan ballot initiative seeking to enshrine collective bargaining in the state's Constitution. Adelson runs the only non-union casinos on the Las Vegas Strip.
Win-Loss Rundown:
(Giving to candidate-specific super PACs in the federal election)
Sheldon Adelson, Republican, $53.7 million*
- Mitt Romney — loss
- Connie Mack (Florida Senate) — loss
- George Allen (Virginia Senate) — loss
- Allen West (House, Florida’s 18th) — too close to call, but leaning toward loss
- Joe Kyrillos (New Jersey Senate) — loss
- Shmuley Boteach (House, New Jersey’s 9th) — loss
- Newt Gingrich (GOP presidential primary) — loss
- David Dewhurst (GOP primary, Texas Senate) — loss
© Flor Cordero / Reuters
Billionaire Harold Simmons was the second-biggest donor to super PACs in the presidential race, with $26.9 million in contributions.
Harold Simmons, Republican, $26.9 million*
- Mitt Romney — loss
- Connie Mack (Florida Senate) — loss
- Rick Santorum (GOP presidential primary) — loss
- Newt Gingrich (GOP presidential primary) — loss
- Rick Perry (GOP presidential primary) — loss
- David Dewhurst (GOP primary, Texas Senate) — loss
- Orrin Hatch (GOP primary, Utah Senate) — win
Bob Perry, Republican, $21.5 million*
- Mitt Romney — loss
- George Allen (Virginia Senate) — loss
- Connie Mack (Florida Senate) — loss
- Rick Perry (GOP presidential primary) — loss
- David Dewhurst (GOP primary, Texas Senate) — loss
Joe Ricketts, Republican, $12.9 million*
- Mitt Romney — loss
Fred Eychaner, Democrat, $12 million*
- Barack Obama — win
Tuesday marked the first presidential election under the new campaign finance regime installed following the 2010 Citizens United U.S. Supreme Court decision. The ruling paved the way for super PACs and nonprofits, allowing them to accept unlimited contributions from individuals, corporations and unions, which could be spent on advertising backing or opposing candidates.
Full election coverage on NBC Politics
*As of Oct. 17, 2012 for the 2011-2012 election cycle. Source: Center for Responsive Politics and Center for Public Integrity analysis of Federal Election Commission records. Totals include contributions from individuals, family members and corporations that are controlled by the individual super donor.
The Center for Public Integrity is a non-profit independent investigative news outlet. For more of its stories visit publicintegrity.org.
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Yeah well, so what if millions were spent, donated to win the election? Better millions spent than armed gangs of thugs shooting it out in the streets, with the resultant thousands killed. Money can't buy happiness? So then, why do so many folks work hard to have more than the neighbors? It appears that money does buy happiness, it's a individual perspective as to what constitutes happiness and if I had a million dropped in my lap I'd be very happy, lol.
good point, so would I
Money is exactly what bought this election. Obama outspent Romney by millions. Without that money and those attack ads, Obama would not have gotten reelected...
One side wins and the other side's SuperPAC loses...They both spent $billions
Why else did Obama fly to Vegas after our Ambassador was murdered? For Money!!!!!!
Most of Obama's spending was from money raised by his campaign while Romney's by far was PACs funded by the super rich. Most of Obama's was raised in small amounts with no influence while Romney's was super wealthy who would benefit by his policies. Counting PACS Romney far outspent Obama. The people just didn't buy what he was selling. No matter how many times he repeated it.
the gop spent way more. but your right it wasnt his money and unless you can raise millions you have no chance in either party, ask newt, and santorum, why they lost to mitt
Your candidate LIED through his campaign. It's what he does for a living. His bald faced lies are now the things of holiday party jokes along the lines of another GREAT GOP candidate Sara Palin, hahahahahahahaha..... As long as this is the best the GOP can do as far as candidates, the Dems will be in office a loooooong time. Like it, OR NOT.
Aside from paying for advertising in it's many forms how exactly does money buy an election? Are you saying, do you think that the American people are so gullible, so easily swayed that they would vote by how slick an ad appears to them? People vote according to how they feel, about how a candidate presents himself and most importantly how our family and friends vote. We have been educated through the years to look upon a sales pitch as primarily hookum, snake oil. Sure, a candidate will say that he will provide this, provide that if he's elected. It's a sales pitch and is advertised, and is paid for. But, the people are smart enough to know, to separate truth from fiction and no matter how much is spent on promoting a lie as truth we have been conditioned by the very people, sales people whose business it is to make presentations, to not be swayed. I'm not saying that advertising doesn't work, if you tell someone something enough times he may come to believe it, but, whose fault is that? An educated voter isn't led astray so if we are all voting according to how pretty the package is, well, then we deserve what we get.
The people have spoken. The President gets 4 more years. He did great things in his first 4 years which has been underminded. He will do even greater things in the next 4 years. He has passion and a vision for all Americans not just the rich Americans. No amount of denial or hatred will change that fact. Let's move forward.
Why don't you list some of those great things you imagine he did in his four years, because its awfully hard for us to see when we're paying almost four dollars per pound for cheap hamburger. If he wants to help the country, he should get a couple of paper bags to place over his head and michelle's so at least we're spared having to look at them.
The democrats have a passion for sure. To control everything everyone does and everywhere they can go. They would all happily starve in the name of being considered right. But no amount of money spent will ever make the democratic party intelligent.
Yes Obama won is one way of looking at it and another way of looking at it is,"We the People won!" It was never about defeating Romney to me, but that had to be done first. It was about defeating Boenher and his Cronies. Boenher has been a disgrace to his position, abusing his Athority, and showing total disregard to the people of this country to justify his Aganda. I heard what he said after this election and I'll sit back and watch for the moment. I still feel that he needs to Adocate his position. He has a lot to proove to me before I will retract my belief!
"He has done and will do great things"?
Can't wait to see the deals he has going on with Russia and Iran.....
On the money spent...well both parties SPENT LESS than what Obama gave to bankrupted solar companies...money well spent....good grief.....you people REALLY need to wake up and smell the coffee.
it is laid in fact when you gamble you do not always WIN! BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME BOYS!!!!!!!!!!!
all the gop has is money and bigotry and hate to run on, why they lost
The gov't needs to study the (PTSD) effects on people exposed to 3 years of campaigning. They could stop studying what happens if a turtle far ts in the Galapagos.
You can tell from the tone of the Obama crowd that they have no interest in working together. Perhaps when their Candyman runs out of money and the free lunch stops, common sense will surface. Meanwhile, money did buy the election, Obama used your money to by your vote.
we won, you have to work with us , not the other way around, the way it works, why we have elections
troll, you're dreaming if you are harboring delusions that you actually helped select president. They're selected by the electoral college, which is made up of people we don't know, who decide on their own who they will put in the president's chair. Winner is the biggest patsy.
Obama did use our money....MILLIONS of people gave to Obama! He raised more money than Romney, yup! BUT 90% of donations from MILLIONS of us came in contributions less than $250.... Romney's top TEN donors gave 90% of the contributions he recieved which as we know came in bundles of MILLIONS of dirty, slimy, sticky dollars!
There was no buying my vote, I knew exactly who I voted for and why. People that voted for Romney were people that would shoot off their own foot before doing the right thing Politicaly or anyother way. Look at all the money I saved the Medical System.
Topside, you are failing to realize that Americans re-elected a man believing that he was the best choice for bipartisanship. Republicans shot themselves in the foot by displaying their obstructionism in Congress for the past 4 years. We can throw bs back and forth on both parties, but the emphasis is on what America needs in its government to get things done. This to many Dems, was the best choice for that. "United we stand, Divided we fall."
topside, that's nonsense. the tea party are the ones holding things up in congress. boehner and obama worked out a pretty good deal last year that included spending cuts and tax hikes, but the tea party congress people poopoo'ed all over it with a little playground, stomp-their-feet-and-cross-their-arms BS. both sides have to compromise and i think the possibilities for the next 4 years are amazing. bipartisanship worked all the way up until the 90s. i think it can work again.
If money doesn't buy elections, then why did Obama spend all his time at fund raisers?????
Just the nature of the beast. But, no amount of fund raising by democrats were going to match republicans. One thing we know is that republicans have too much money and time on their hands.
Pity democrats don't have a few brains on their side.
The guy with the most money won. George Soros, Hollywood,etc Obama had more PAC/Secret money than Romney. Look it up. Unbelievable how delusional people are.
Honestly I'm not sure what happens to funds that are left over after Campaigning but I do know they need to spend as much of it as they can. They don't get to pocket the change.
6dogs....I believe they do get to keep the change, or rather, the re-distribution is up to their discretion. They can return the money to the donor or to the candidate, or keep it. Should be interesting to see how all this plays out....the battle for Superpac funding continues?
All that money was cancelled out by angry Hispanics, women, and Blacks who were tired of listening to Trump, Rush, and who had had enough after listening to those republican debates where they all tried to out white each other - forgetting that America is a melting pot of all sorts of races and creed of people.
Angry hispanics who didn't want to risk losing all the rich tax free benefits and stolen jobs they don't have to work hard at. America truly is the land of milk and honey for them. Where else in the world can you actually advertise that anchor babies pay?
you mean your not happy being stuck in the kitchen or the bedroom and leaving the important things like voting to your husband like the gop tells you too
Careful troll. You're showing your true democratic lack of I.Q. My husband is a democrat, (unfortunately). The democratic party is truly wonderful for the moochers and those who lack the will to work. Can't beat all dem freebees huh.
Your a Republican and your Husband is a Democrat? Than it doesn't matter your in a win win situation no matter which party is in office. Welfare is one thing that no President of either party is going to screw with. Before you Troll me, my roots are West Virginia and I come from a Family Clan. One of the last 2 documented Families the feuded, now am I a Wilson or a Williams?
Every single white male I know voted for President Obama. It was NOT a race issue.....it was because they were just as horrified at the prospect of having all that "smaller government" the Republican party was touting....only it wasn't smaller government. It was a rebellion against a party that wants it's women as nothing more than brood mares for the Republican war machine.
Lol, very cool: The Republican war machine. How so, since our major wars have been fought with Democrats in office?
LOL! I did not know GW Bush was a Democrat...thanks for clearing that up for me..ROTF!!!!
Nobody knows exactly how many millions in foreign money came in for O's election. It was hidden. But it came.
Ask the woman who brags about having 30 Obamaphones who she voted for. Bought? yeah
The main stream media is no longer relevant - they are merely party player propaganda.
Another conspiracy theory. You idiots dream up some good ones. You can't bash the black man on what he's done as president so you make crap up. Get over it, you lost the black man is still president and you're still a loser.
Only fools do not believe that real news is real, thats the oldest trick in the book momma, get people to not trust reality such as your self, and they then control you and get you to believe and do what ever they want, thats what the gop, hanity, a limbaugh, fox news has done to you, why they call you ditto heads you no longer are in control of your very own life and can no longer think for yourself
I think eventually you will calm down.
Sure we will. As soon as some lousy dictator tells us we have too.
Sheldon Adelson donated to Adam West's race in Florida. This just outrages me, on two levels, West has shown himself to be a certified fruitcake, his kind has no place in American politics!
Secondly, the money spent by Adelson on West, had to have some kind of motive, some Quid pro Que. We have to stop this kind of blatant buying influence in our politics.
the supreme court has ruled and face it like it or not its the law of the land, campaign finiance reform is dead forever, it would now take a constitutional amendment to change it and that will never happen, the rich on both sides like controling these elections
True, money can't buy elections. Millions of happy illegal immigrants with thousands of dollars on food stamp cards are certainly happy. Presidents are figureheads, selected by a corrupt body of power hungry men that nobody in the public knows. If presidents required intellligence, there'd be no one competent to serve in the office.
Maybe if the last republican president hadn't dumped 5 million on the unemployment lines there wouldn't be as many on food stamps. It takes time to put people back to work.
Dohhhh, you can't put people back to work when you're sending the jobs overseas, and giving domestic jobs to illegal immigrants. Dream on Alice. You're still in wonderland. If you think he's going to do anything better the next four years, you better think again, unless you're one of the immigrants here for a handout.
funny, being a west virginian, i'd figure you'd know how the food stamp/welfare system works...
Maybe it would have been cheaper for them to pay higher Taxes in the frist place!
I guess the Liberals buying power doesn't get a comment. How about George Soros and his group? And all the Hollywood millionaires don't count.
they count, they just cant match even close to what you gop billionaires have, I'm sure that makes a close minded gop'er like you happy doesnt it? I'm sure your extremly dissapointed they didnt get there huge romney tax cut aren't you?
Adelson has billions in profits made in his overseas casinos - the largest amount, ironically,...in China. That money is tax-free until he brings it home to the U.S. in which case he would pay a bunch of taxes. You know he was buying Romney's prospective presidency with a HUGE return in mind. Who of anyone - especially between these two candidates - knows and loves the concept of paying no taxes on anything. Always makes me think of Supreme Courts Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes comment that he felt good when he paid his taxes because he was investing in civilization. This bunch doesn't give a crap about civilization, humanity, OR country...they love MONEY the same as Mitt Romney loves money! Romney was putting his prospective presidency up for sale...the American people (at least 50+ percent of us) are to be praised for having the instinct to stop him.
Thats great....see when these idiots spend themselves into oblivion and the gravy train has to stop because there is no money...then the little programmed monkey and munchkin people that are living in the street and eating dogfood asking for help i tell them to call a politician and laugh at them.
The harsh reality is numbers. And money will not be able to reverse these numbers...
Romney won handily among white voters, but that’s little consolation in a nation that has seen the white share of the vote shrink from 77 percent eight years ago to 74 percent in 2008 to 72 percent Tuesday.
Meanwhile, exit polls show that Romney lost among women voters by 11 points. He lost young voters by 24 points. He lost the Latino vote by more than 40 points.
THE PROBLEM... for the Republican party is that it has become even more exclusive and is run by a bunch of angry white men... and it has magnetic attraction for angry white people. The messaging is angry... not clear, not welcoming, not inclusive.
The Dems are losing ground too. The former voting base is slowly leaving the party. Disagreement because the party is not representative of middle class values.
This is one angry and divided country. We have seen once again that money can't fix this social and political problem.
Not really, given the demographics of whites aborting more of their babies than latino, black and asians.
The white population has consistently over the last 50 years refused to 'compete' bhy having as many children as those groups have.
Nothing in the next 50 years will change that.
I'm looking forward to a nation that will one day be a nice shade of 'tan'.
cosmicity...
So you're saying its about race because people vote by what they belong to? Is that your story? If so, YES I do believe you. Is that a testament to what direction this country is heading? If so... we are clearly heading for trouble as a nation. Race as a baseline measurement is not good. Never has been. Never will be. 95% or more of all african American voters voted for Obama. So suspect you are correct.
Cosmicity, you're conveniently omitting the fact that the illegal hispanics are now making a business of producing anchor babies for profit. Are you then condoning using innocent babies in order to enhance their own greed? I see you are also neglecting to mention the incidents of abuse committed against hispanic babies. So what really matters to the democratic party is power and greed, no matter what the consequences.
Hey LG, you say the white vote has shrunk, why? I don't think it has shrunk, I think other nationalities are getting out and voting and that changes % numbers. I wonder what the big deal is on race here. In the end it is total vote measured against the known population. I didn't see a Race block on my ballot.
Not only did Sheldon Adelson back eight losers - none of them even won his race!
Tell the Congressmen, who began seeking contributions for their 2014 election on Wednesday, that money can't buy an election. The headline should say it can't always buy an election, but in most cases the lack of it makes the average citizen a sub-citizen in terms of serving in an elected office.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME? The guy with the MOST money won. What a disingenuous piece of propaganda. Are you officially the Obama PR mouthpiece now? Who are the idiots that write these articles? We are in worse trouble than I thought.
Hopefully your not so dim upstairs that you actually think Obama has more wealth than Romney?
Typical Liberal math. Count ALL THE MONEY and Free ride that would have cost trillions that the Bamster got from a MSM and other media that painted Romney as some kind of Satanic jerk, when he was no more than socialist lite.
Money---- and its surrogate---Free Mass media positive coverage of theBamster, in the countless FRN range certainly bought this election, as it has every other one.
The Spin, the lies, and the utter ignorance of the left is appalling.
(from one who didn't vote for a republican)
boy, you guys sure come up with some extremely lame excuses for losing, did you ever think that romney just wasn't cut out to be president and the american people rejected him? If you would actually watch the very news you blame you might actually learn the real reasons you lost, quit trusting the fox news fables and lies, the hanity's and the women hater racist limbaugh and you will be much more informed, and might actually win next time around
Long Rule KING OBAMA Long Live the United Social America
well at least you admit your defeat and will accept the consequences
not accepting I gave oath once that I believe fully in "will protect from forgein and domestic enemies" well oddly we use bullets for forgein just have find better way for the domestic ones.Open too ways before the snake is too big too cut off the head.
The real question is just WHAT do they get for their money??????????????
this time around, egg in their face!!
we can not even imagine what will happen this time around ,but he ran 6 T dollar tab having too get re-elected so what is ahead when he has no re-election just a trone too worry about
whats a trone?
Brian, you post tells me you dropped out in the 8th grade. It says nothing thats even comes close to being intelligent!!!
what can I say went too school in Obamas home state once he moved too the US that is
Here again MSN lies! The liberal left lies lies lies. Obama spent more and bought the election. Obama super pacs also spent more than the Romney superpac. Then if you count everything Obama promised his supporters at the expense of the United States taxpayers the amount is in the trillions.
you actually don't believe what you just posted do you? your not that dim are you? Why don't you cry about something more legitimate and believable like, the incumbent has a huge advantage, he can travel for free with air force one, he can call a news conference for free anytime he wants, he can have his wife travel for free, he gets way more free tv time and attention, that's legitimate, the other crap you posted is a flat out lie!!
Troll you listened too Obama too long and now you too believe the truth too be a lie.only truth Obama has ever told is he will make a change ....yes he did , do you think Germany or USSR saw what was ahead or like you did the worship the new improved government.BTW you claiming your not a troll is bold face lie
What about Dr. Evil, aka George Soros?