The 2016 presidential election could cost as much as $5 billion, according to top fundraisers and bundlers who are already predicting it will more than double the 2012 campaign’s price tag. Behind-the-scenes jockeying to raise big bucks from bundlers connected to super-PACs and third-party groups is well underway, even with no top-tier candidates officially in the race. Potential candidates with proven fundraising prowess, such as 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, are throwing political elbows at each other to secure donors’ money at an early stage in the race. And then there’s Hillary Clinton. In private conversations, allies to the former secretary of State are predicting that the campaign totals on their end alone might surpass $1.5 billion and go as high as $2 billion.
Don Peebles, the real estate mogul and top political fundraiser who served on President Obama’s national finance committee, predicted that Clinton would see “significant fundraising …[and] record-breaking financial reports.” “She has a very strong capacity to raise significant funds,” Peebles said.
Peebles also said that Bush is a “tremendous and effective fundraiser” and could give Clinton a run for the money. “I sense a lot of excitement about his candidacy,” Peebles said. “I see that in Florida and I’m seeing that in New York.”
When all is said and done, Peebles predicted that the presidential race could come close to tallying $5 billion in total, between the campaigns, party funds, independent expenditures and third parties. That would be about double the estimated $2.6 billion cost of the 2012 campaign.
Full Article: The $5 billion presidential campaign? | TheHill.