THE LEDGER-STAR
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, November 8, 1994 TAG: 9411080336
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: KNIGHT-RIDDER NEWS SERVICE
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
A flood of vicious attack ads is helping to turn this year's congressional elections into what may be the most expensive and least popular campaign season ever.
By the time all the televised mud-throwing and character assassination end, the candidates will have spent close to a staggering $800 million, some experts estimate. That would top 1992's record of $680 million by almost 20 percent.
An anti-incumbent mood, super-competitive races and millionaire candidates are helping to drive the spending spree, experts say.
What the money is buying is more anger at the negative political process, they add. It's a depressing sign that Americans, already feeling alienated from the political process, are even more cut out.
``If you don't have money or have access to money, then you aren't a viable candidate,'' said Chuck Lewis, director of the Center for Public Integrity, an organization that monitors money in politics. ``That means you don't have a democracy anymore. You have a distorted democracy. Those who don't give money have a hard time getting heard.''
Joshua Goldstein of the Center for Responsive Politics, another watchdog group, says the money from powerful interests is buying all these terribly negative ads that everyone is sick of.
``Americans are not able to participate in the real game going on here, which is that big money - through self-financing by wealthy individuals or PACs (political action committees) - determines who can run and who can win elections in this country,'' Goldstein said. ``The vast majority of Americans are watching this display of money being thrown around.''
To look at the $800 million figure one way, it is more than $10 for each of this year's expected 70 million votes.
Part of the increased spending comes from higher costs for consultants and media.
But the big-money drive also is fueled by close, competitive races and a number of open House and Senate seats.
``More competitive races drives the spending frenzy,'' said Curtis Gans, director of the Committee for the Study of the American Electorate.
The overwhelming anti-incumbent, anti-government, anti-politics mood helps drive spending, too, experts say.
Incumbents, who have an easier time raising money, feel they have to raise huge sums to defend their seats. The anti-incumbent mood permits Republicans to feel that they have a chance to oust some veterans. Each side spurs the other to raise more and more.
``We have a lot of arms races going on,'' said Herb Alexander, a political science professor at the University of Southern California who studies money in politics.
``This anti-incumbency feeling has triggered a lot of fund-raising and spending.'' ILLUSTRATION: KRT Graphic
Source: Federal Election Commission
Campaign fund raising goes through the roof
The top money-raisers during this election year for races in the
U.S. Senate and House: Senate Top 5
[Number 2: Oliver North, Va. Republican, challenger, $17,596, 188]
For copy of complete list, see microfilm
House Top 5
KEYWORDS: U.S SENATE RACE VIRGINIA CANDIATE CAMPAIGN FINANCING by CNB