The cost of Mitt Romney's nomination: By the numbers
After Tuesday's primary victories, Romney effectively secured the Republican nomination. But it didn't come cheap
The Republican presidential nomination was all but wrapped up before this week's primary elections, but after Mitt Romney swept all five states holding votes on Tuesday, even last-rival-standing Newt Gingrich (sorry, Ron Paul fans) threw in the towel. Romney's victory didn't come cheap, though. His campaign spent more than his three nearest rivals combined in order to secure the nomination, and the disparity grows if you include the TV ads paid for by pro-Romney super PACs. Here's a look at just how expensive Romney's primary battle turned out to be, and a taste of how he spent his war chest:
$76.6 million
Amount Romney spent on his primary battles, through March 31
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$18.50
Cost of each of the 4.1 million votes he won
$126,000
Cost of each of the 607 delegates he won
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$122 million
Total amount spent on the Romney campaign, including money donated to his super PAC Restore Our Future
10
Candidates who were ahead of Romney in the polls at one point or another
93
Full-time staff employed by the Romney campaign
$62,947
Average salary of Romney staffers
$10.1 million
Amount the Romney campaign spent in March alone
$66,120
The Romney campaign's March rent
$70,165
March payments to law and lobbying firm Patton Boggs
$1.2 million
March spending on direct mail consulting
$1.1 million
March travel expenses
$391,487
March spending on catering and facility rentals
$344,843
March spending on event consulting
$11,000
Amount the Romney campaign paid to New York City's Waldorf Astoria hotel in March
$1,966
Amount Team Romney spent on office supplies from Apple in March
$871
Amount Team Romney spent on Poland Spring water in March
$48
Amount Team Romney spent at Arby's in March
$50+
What they spent at Applebee's
$21 million
Amount Newt Gingrich spent on his primary campaign ($39 million with his super PAC)
$10
Cost for each of the 2.2 million votes he won ($150,000 per delegate)
$4.3 million
The Gingrich campaign's remaining debt
$18.7 million
Amount Rick Santorum spent on his primary campaign ($28 million with his super PAC)
$6.50
Cost for each of the 2.9 million votes he won ($71,000 per delegate)
$35 million
Amount Ron Paul spent on his primary battle
$32.40
Cost for each of the 1.1 million votes he won ($485,500 per delegate)
$89 million
Amount President Obama's re-election campaign has spent during the GOP primary
$600 million
Amount Team Romney hopes to raise for the general election
$750 million+
Amount Team Obama hopes to raise for the general election
Sources: BuzzFeed, CNNMoney, New York Times, Talking Points Memo (2)
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