Report: More Rich People Trying To Buy Their Way Into Congress

Based on FEC reports for the 3rd quarter, these were the big self-funders for July, August and September in Senate races:

• Silicon Valley Democratic vanity candidate Lexi Reese (California)- $250,279

• Democrat running as a populist Juan Dominguez (Maryland)- $125,000
  

And these are the House candidates who pumped at least $100,000 into their campaigns over the summer:

• Democratic vanity candidate, actor Ben Savage (CA-30)- $250,000

• Conservative Democratic trial lawyer and wealthy heir Gregory Hafif (CA-31)- $500,000

• Grace Napolitano staffer Mary Ann Lutz (CA-31)- $425,000

• Lottery winner/conservative Democrat Gil Cisneros (CA-31)- $509,150

• Physician Dan Wozniczka (IL-05)- $290,000

• Psychiatrist and vanity candidate Geoffrey Grammer (MD-06)- $219,689

One we already know, former Republican Frito-Lay's potato chip taster, Gil Cisneros, who won $266 million in a lottery and decided that qualified him for Congress. Pelosi agreed and helped him get into Congress once, where he proven to be a dud and was quickly retired by his constituents. When Grace Napolitano decided to pack it in, Cisneros immediately declared he's going to try to buy that district's seat.

When you combine a candidate who is a self-funder with the attributes of a vanity candidate-- especially one who has little to no realistic chance of winning-- there are sometimes some interesting psychological traits worth looking at. Some these folks are really looking for attention, recognition and validation. They see running for office as a way to boost their self-esteem or self-image, even if they are aware, perhaps just subliminally, that their chances of winning are minimal. Their motivation is more about personal gratification than about achieving political goals. They crave— and are willing to pay for— the attention and spotlight that a political campaign can provide. They may be motivated by a desire to be in the public eye, to have their views heard, or to satisfy their need for external validation. What the hell is North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum doing in the GOP presidential primary? Candidates like him often overestimate their own qualifications, abilities and appeal to voters. They might believe that their ideas or charisma are so compelling that they can overcome significant odds, including a lack of political experience or support.

Some of them view their financial resources as a means of self-expression or, at best, as a way to demonstrate their commitment to certain ideals or issues, even if they know that they are unlikely to win. In this case, the campaign becomes a platform for personal beliefs rather than a serious pursuit of office. And some of these self-funding vanity candidates are driven by naïvete. They may genuinely believe that their campaign can inspire change, even if it lacks the necessary support or strategy.

It’s worth keeping in mind that where there is money flowing, there are political operatives eager to be p[art of the gravy train indwelling to encourage or mislead wealthy self-funders, even if their chances of winning are slim. Campaign staff and consultants are well-compensated and these campaigns are a source of income whether the candidate wins or loses.