How much money is spent on presidential campaigns?

Campaigns and Nominations Read more from
Chapter Parties and Platforms

The amount of money spent on presidential campaigns has skyrocketed since the mid-twentieth century. In 1952, presidential candidates spent a combined $16 million on their campaigns. By 1972, this amount rose to $90 million. And in 1996, the amount had totaled $120 million. These figures represent an increase of 750 percent from 1952 to 1996.