Question: What happens to the money raised for a campaign but never used?

[Th1onein]

Does the candidate cash in and take it home? What happens to it?

[northoftheborder]

1. I have wondered that also. Sometimes, they give to others' campaigns, but can they keep for any use?

[bottomofthehill]

4. All sorts of things can happen

Politicians can keep the money in their campaign account in case they run in the future, give it to charity, start a pac, give it to a political party, keep it to contribute to other campaigns when they see fit, pay expenses for their own political travel ( conventions and the like). Before 1992 members could convert it to their personal use ( they had to pay taxes) but could keep the money.

[Mz Pip]

2. Somehow I think every last cent

will be used this year.

I do think Pacs campaigns can sit on it for future use. Maybe I'm wrong, though.

[Z_California]

3. Ask Sarah Palin (NT)

[Lawlbringer]

5. Quick

Someone ask Ron Paul?

How much cash did that bozo raise in 08 and 12? How much of it went toward his presidential campains and how much has/will go toward his reelection campaign for congress?

How much for copies of Atlas Shrugged?

[Brother Buzz]

6. A surprising large portion ends up in the pockets of lawyers hired to keep the candidate out of jail

[unblock]

7. it does not become private property of the candidate

however, one way or another it is spent.

it can roll over to the next campaign, or it can effectively be spent on another campaign (e.g., obama could run an ad in some district in exchange for that district's candidate's endorsement).

many campaigns wind up in the red, with a last-minute spending blitz that exceeds anticipated contributions.

and, yes, there are post-election expenses, including lawyers and fines....

[Thumper79]

8. I don't know what the law is but,

Christine O'Donnell used a lot of her money to buy her own book. O'Donnell's Super Pac spent over $19,000 on buying her book.