1968 Political Campaigns Set $300‐Million Record
Citizens Research Foundation survey finds '68 campaigns cost record $300‐million, 50% rise in only 4 yrs; Repubs outspent Dems by nearly 2‐1; by comparison, increase between '52 and '64 was only 43%; increase seen reflecting TV costs, fact that Dems and Repubs had primaries, and candidacies of multimillionaires R F Kennedy and Gov Rockefeller; cost per vote was record 60 cents; findings are detailed in H E Alexander book Financing the 1968 Election; most surprising finding is that McCarthy spent $11‐million; 5 contributors of more than $100,000 were S Mott, Mr and Mrs J Dreyfus Jr, E T Carrington, Prof and Mrs M Peretz and A Miller; Alexander says campaign brought more 'left‐of‐center or moderate money onto pol scene than at any time in history'; Wallace campaign cost at least $9‐million, most of which was raised in small sums in most successful grass‐roots fund‐raising campaign in Amer Pres pol; Alexander lists preconv spending as follows: Johnson, $1‐million; Humphrey, $4‐million; McCarthy, $11‐million; Kennedy, $9‐million; McGovern, $75,000; Maddox, $50,000; Nixon, $10‐million; Rockefeller, $8‐million; Romney, $1.5‐million; Reagan, $650,000; Stassen, $90,000; Nixon's gen election spending was $24.9‐million, Humphrey's $10.3‐million; largest single contributor was Mrs J D Rockefeller, who gave Rockefeller $1,‐482,625; 14 persons who were named ambs by Nixon contributed to his campaign; Dem fund‐raising for gen election went so badly that party had to borrow heavily; J Factor and L Wasserman each lent $240,000; few of loans have been repaid; list of contributors of $100,000 or more; Alexander illus with copy of survey
