Recall Spending Tops $50 Million

[Judi Lynn]

September 26, 2003



Recall Spending Tops $50 Million
Schwarzenegger's costs exceed $13 million. Davis and Bustamante also spend heavily.


By Dan Morain and Joel Rubin, Times Staff Writers


SACRAMENTO — Campaign spending in the recall race has reached $50 million, with Arnold Schwarzenegger, the fund-raising titan in the contest to replace Gov. Gray Davis if he is ousted, outspending some leading rivals more than 10 to 1.

The Republican actor-turned-candidate has raised $13.6 million and spent $13.4 million, mostly on high-priced television spots, according to reports filed with the state Thursday. He has spent $5.4 million on production and air time and $1.4 million on printed ads in the last four weeks.

Schwarzenegger has used $6.5 million of his own money, and raised the rest largely from real estate and high-tech interests, and from entertainment figures. He also has received hundreds of small donations.

The actor had $3.8 million in his campaign accounts as of Saturday.
(snip/...)

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/recall/la-me-money26sep26,1,7531137.story?coll=la-home-headlines

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[Democat]

1. Arnold is a liar

He said he wouldn't run negative ads and he said he wouldn't take special interest money.

If he was a Democrat, the media would destroy him over these lies.

[montana_hazeleyes]

2. Ican't see why Schwarzenegger had to spend anything

since he got so much free time everywhere,all the time, because he's a celebrity.
This whole thing -recall- is just so ingenuous. Would any repub back this clown if he was Anything but their only hope of stealing another election that didn't go their way!

[Democat]

3. It's not because he's a celebrity, it's because he's a Republican

If he was a Democratic celebrity, the right wing media would destroy him.

[realFedUp]

5. All these ads of his will likely backfire

I'm sick of his voice and message.

[David__77]

4. Arnie disses McClintock.

Schwarzenegger's campaign "accidently" released a commercial showing a slot machine that has the faces of Davis, Bustamante and McClintock show up on the payline. Good strategy to woo your opponent, huh?

These Wilsonites are reprehensible, and the only thing good I can say about them and their racist campaign strategies is that it will, as in the past, solidify support among communities of color for the Democratic Party. It works to mobilize some disgruntled white guys, but there is ultimate blowback--bigtime.

I would have thought the CA GOP would realize that Wilson is radioactive, but I guess their sheer desperation have let their strategic acumen fly out the window.