Trump has Spent $25 Million on His Campaign

$6.9 million

Amount Donald Trump put of his personal money into his presidential campaign in February, the Washington Post reports. “Since he began his White House bid last year, the billionaire real estate developer has lent or given his campaign nearly $25 million, according to Federal Election Commission reports. Although he maintains that he is self-funding the effort, his supporters have contributed $9.5 million, including $2 million in February.”

Jeb Bush Loaned His Campaign $407,000 in Final Days

$407,000

Amount former Florida governor Jeb Bush loaned or gave his campaign as it struggled to pay its bills in the last weeks of his flagging presidential bid, the Washington Post reports. “New Federal Election Commission filings show that Bush’s campaign spent $3.6 million last month before he dropped out Feb. 20 — raising just $1.18 million in the same period. A large share of the money came from the candidate himself, who gave his campaign $56,983.50 on Feb. 1. The next day, he loaned the campaign $250,000. And on Feb. 16, four days before the South Carolina primary, he gave an additional $100,000.”

Landrieu to Give Leftover Campaign Money to Former Senate Colleagues

$150,000

Amount former Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) has left in her campaign fund, which she plans to use to help former Senate colleagues run for re-election, the Shreveport Times reports. Landrieu said she also will contribute some leftover campaign money to Republicans: “I’m not opposed to helping one or two of my Republican friends that have helped Louisiana — if they ask. They haven’t asked yet.”

Rand Paul Seeks to Buy an Election in Kentucky

$250,000

Amount Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) has transferred to the Republican Party of Kentucky “as a down payment on the presidential caucuses he has asked the party to conduct in March,” the Lexington Herald Leader reports. “Paul is seeking the party’s help in bypassing a state law that prohibits him from running for president and for re-election to his Senate seat on the same ballot next year. He wrote to the party’s state central committee, which has nearly 350 members, in an effort to quell concern about the cost of a caucus.”

Jeb ‘Looks Weaker And Weaker’

photo-jeb-tanking

The Cook Political Report represents the gold standard in political polling and prognosticating. When Charlie Cook or his lieutenants cite a trend, you can take it to the bank. This week one of Cook’s top experts, Amy Walters, published an analysis of Jeb Bush’s all-but-announced presidential campaign that is likely sounding alarms throughout the Republican Party’s establishment wing. The headline, written in neutral Cookspeak, says it all: “Jeb Goes from Fragile Frontrunner to Underdog.”

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Rubio & Braman — By the Numbers

Marco & Norman
Marco & Norman
Tampa Bay Times has some interesting insights into the relationship between presidential candidate Marco Rubio and his Miami billionaire patron Norman Braman. Recently, Braman announced he was giving Rubio $10 million to help finance his campaign.

It appears Rubio is accustomed to feeding at the Braman trough. Here are some numbers that illuminate their relationship:

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