But Clinton’s aides say they budgeted for a high level of spending at this stage of the race, arguing they are making important investments in data analytics, digital infrastructure and organizing that will to help them win both the primary and the general election.
For example, in Nevada, the fourth state to cast ballots in the presidential primary season, Clinton installed staff on the ground six months ago and has expanded her team there to 22 paid operatives. They have recruited more than 3,000 volunteers, who have already held events across the state.
Sanders, meanwhile, put his first staffer in the state only a few weeks ago.
Clinton has also expanded her investment in the so-called Super Tuesday elections in an effort to build a March 1 firewall, should Sanders pick up wins in early-to-vote Iowa and New Hampshire. Data analyzed by President Barack Obama’s campaign showed a direct correlation between supporter enthusiasm in the last six weeks before the election and how early local organizing efforts began in their area. Some of Obama’s campaign staff now work for Clinton.
All told, by the end of September, Clinton was paying 511 staffers, which cost her campaign about $8.5 million over the three months. Salaries in Sanders’ campaign came in at about $1 million in that time.
While payroll was Clinton’s greatest expense, for Sanders it was “campaign paraphernalia,” FEC documents show. Most of that went to Tigereye Promotions LLC, which says online that it is “a union shop specializing in promotional products,” such as T-shirts.
Sanders’ no-frills approach to the race showed up in his spending report. His campaign paid for about $4,000 in room reservations through Airbnb, an Internet sharing service that’s often cheaper than hotel stays, and he uniformly traveled on commercial airlines.
Clinton spent $560,000 on chartered planes and $10,000 at Four Seasons hotels, her campaign documents show.
Each campaign ended last month with plenty of available cash. Clinton had $32 million and Sanders $27 million — totals higher than any of the candidates on the Republican side.
And there are signs that Sanders can continue to count on a cash influx.
In the hours after Tuesday’s Democratic debate, he raised upward of $2.5 million. That’s more than Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul raised all summer for his Republican presidential bid.
