Running for Congress Isn't Cheap

I was looking over the campaign finance reports for the Idaho 1st Congressional seat from 2006. The winner, Bill Sali, spent more than a million dollars--and $10,000 was his own money. The Democrat who lost, Larry Grant, spent more than $700,000 (of which more than $80,000 came out of his own pocket).

Even the losers in the Republican primary for that race spent big money. Sheila Sorensen, for example, spent more than $400,000--and $218,152 were from her own pocket.

A member of the House earns $165,200 per year--so even if Sorensen had won the election, she would barely have earned that money back before the next election cycle starts up, and you have to start spending money again.