What Presidential Fundraising Can Buy Besides Votes
What could candidates buy with their fundraising funds?
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Michele Bachmann - During the most recent Federal Election Commission quarterly reporting period, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann reported total receipts of $3,907,748.06. That would buy about 134,749 French manicures at the Bellisimo Salon & Day Spa in Iowa City, Iowa, excluding tip.(Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
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Newt Gingrich - Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich posted receipts of $807,962.45 during the most recent Federal Election Commission quarterly reporting period, just a few hundred thousand more than his existing line of credit at the posh Tiffany & Co. The relatively low fundraising figure would enable him to purchase approximately 2,938 sterling silver “Return to Tiffany” oval tag bracelets, not including tax.(Photos from left to right: Ethan Miller/Getty Images, Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
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Jon Huntsman - Jon Huntsman got $4,514,188.95 in total receipts during the most recent Federal Election Commission quarterly reporting period. That would enable President Obama’s former ambassador to China to splash out on a gourmet dinner of scallion pancakes, frog legs, Yang’s 4-shell soup, 2 brothers special duck and sautéed snow peas about 80,827 times, tax and tip not included, at the Chen Yang Li Chinese restaurant in New Hampshire, where he’s focused his campaign’s activities.(Photos from Left to Right: John Block/Getty Images, AP Photo/Joe Burbank, Pool)
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Rick Perry - Texas Gov. Rick Perry started off on a major high, bringing in a whopping $17,200,232.07 soon after entering the GOP presidential race, his Federal Election Commission quarterly report shows. According to Red’s Indoor Range in Austin, Texas, he could buy about 8,201 Browning deer hunting rifles, Leupold rifle scopes and a nice leather sling, tax included.(Photos from left to right: Steve Pope/Getty Images, Chase Jarvis/Getty Images)
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Ron Paul - Texas Rep. Ron Paul raised $8,268,499.92 during the last Federal Election Commission quarterly reporting period. With that amount, the libertarian-leaning lawmaker who believes in the gold standard could buy about 5,118 ounces of gold at the current rate of $1,615.40 per ounce.(Photos from left to right: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images, Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
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