Expenses, negative ads keep racking up

The Florida primary was beyond amazing. Here are some interesting numbers: Mitt Romney wins 50 delegates and has a total of 87 delegates with 1,144 needed to secure the nomination, only 30 percent of the total voters in Florida voted in the Republican primary, Romney spent $7.7 million dollars to Newt Gingrich’s $1 million, compared to 2008 the candidates spent 40 percent less on their own ads, Romney’s political action committee spent $8 million to Gingrich’s $2.2 million, total PAC spending increased by 1,600 percent, 99 percent of Romney’s ads were negative, of Romney’s donations to date only 8 percent come from payments of less than $250, 39 percent of Republican voters are still looking for a better candidate.

The numbers that are really astonishing is that before Tuesday we were less than 8 percent through the primary season (four out of 50 states), and they are saying that it is going to get more expensive and way more ugly and then we get to the actual presidential election.

To some us this is way better sport than the Super Bowl.

Jack Halpin

Arlington Heights