Mitt Romney's 'huge' spending advantage: By the numbers
The GOP frontrunner barely beat Rick Santorum in the Michigan primary, but he certainly distinguished himself when it came to spending
Mitt Romney squeaked through Michigan's GOP presidential primary this week with a narrow, three-percent win over Rick Santorum. And the allocation of the state's 30 delegates was even tighter — both candidates emerged with 15, leading Santorum's camp to call the race a tie. But the campaign spending race wasn't even close, with Romney, once again, outspending his rivals by a mile. Here, a look at the Republican frontrunner's "huge" financial edge, by the numbers:
$4.3 million
Amount Romney and his super PAC, Restore Our Future, spent on TV and radio ads in Michigan. About $2.3 million of that went to TV ads paid for by Restore Our Future.
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$2.3 million
Amount Santorum and his backers spent in the state. Most of the total — $1.3 million — came from the pro-Santorum super PAC, Red White and Blue Fund.
$242,205
Amount that Priorities USA, a super PAC supporting President Obama, spent on ads attacking Romney
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$49,999
Amount Ron Paul spent in Michigan
$659,779
Amount the pro-Romney Restore Our Future spent on Tuesday's primary in Arizona, which Romney won handily. His campaign spent nothing.
$52,114
Amount Santorum spent in Arizona
5
Dollars Romney spent in Florida for every $1 spent by Newt Gingrich, who, after a victory in the South Carolina primary, was then Romney's biggest rival
3
Dollars Romney spent for every $1 Gingrich spent in Iowa, where Romney and his allies "buried" the former House speaker with negative ads
$38 million
Total campaign spending by Romney and his "pet" PAC to date
$9.7 million
Total spent by Newt Gingrich and the super PAC supporting him
$6 million
Total spent to date by Santorum and his super PAC, the Red White and Blue Fund
$6.5 million
Amount Romney raised in January
$32 million
Amount Barack Obama raised in January 2008, when he was locked in a Democratic primary battle with Hillary Clinton
Sources: Hot Air, Politico, Telegraph, Wash. Post
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