# Does Obama's campaign have money left over? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 10, 2008, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obamas-campaign-have-money-left-over/472077 "2008-11-10T18:39:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obamas-campaign-have-money-left-over/472077/1 "2008-11-10T18:39:55Z")
Last I heard, he raised $160 million. Did it go to the DNC or was it strictly Obama campaign funds? Was it all spent? Did he pay off Hillary’s debt? What happens with any money that’s left? Who decides? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obamas-campaign-have-money-left-over/472077/2 "2008-11-10T18:49:03Z")
Excess money in a campaign fund can be: [ul] [li]saved for a future campaign[/li][li]donated to a charity[/li][li]within limits, donated to another campaign[/li][li]returned to donors[/li][/ul] As the boss of the campaign organization, Obama gets to decide what to do. There is a very, very good chance he will pursue option #1. Note that this does not count any money that may have been donated to Obama- or DNC-affiliated PACs and other independent organizations. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obamas-campaign-have-money-left-over/472077/3 "2008-11-10T20:42:27Z")
At this point, they probably do have money left in the bank. But they probably still have bills to come in, too. (I am Treasurer for 2 local campaigns, and I am still paying bills for campaign advertising, etc.) As for paying Hillary’s campaign debts, that would be a contribution to her campaign, which is limited (by the McCain-Feingold campaign finances law) to a specific amount, $2,300 I believe. Not much of a dent in her debts. But he can also encourage his contributors to give contributions to her campaign toward those debts, they could each give up to that amount also. People who can afford it, and want to get on the good side of Obama (and Hillary) may do so. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obamas-campaign-have-money-left-over/472077/4 "2008-11-10T21:48:42Z")
What about donations to the DNC? I just got an email asking for a $30 donation to help the DNC pay off its debts (and get a T-shirt in return.) ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obamas-campaign-have-money-left-over/472077/5 "2008-11-10T22:09:03Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > What about donations to the DNC? I just got an email asking for a $30 donation to help the DNC pay off its debts (and get a T-shirt in return.) What about them? That’s a separate group, not part of either the Obama or Clinton campaigns, thus not a part of their campaign funding accounts. Also, the DNC is a party unit, not a candidate committee – they have different contribution limits than a candidate. And they will be around for a much longer term than a candidate. And as they will be the majority party for at least 2 years, people have good reason to contribute to them. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obamas-campaign-have-money-left-over/472077/6 "2008-11-10T22:41:11Z")
Can he use the money to pay the fees for his transition team? If not, where does that money come from? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obamas-campaign-have-money-left-over/472077/7 "2008-11-10T22:48:37Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Can he use the money to pay the fees for his transition team? If not, where does that money come from? That comes from the budget for the Office of the President-Elect. (Every new President has had one since the Presidential Transition Act of 1963.) ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obamas-campaign-have-money-left-over/472077/8 "2008-11-10T23:01:29Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > That’s a separate group, not part of either the Obama or Clinton campaigns, thus not a part of their campaign funding accounts. FWIW, the email clearly says “Paid for by Obama for America,” the style is consistent with Obama’s online style, and the links go to [barackobama.com](http://barackobama.com). ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obamas-campaign-have-money-left-over/472077/9 "2008-11-10T23:19:05Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > What about them? > > That’s a separate group, not part of either the Obama or Clinton campaigns, thus not a part of their campaign funding accounts. > > Also, the DNC is a party unit, not a candidate committee – they have different contribution limits than a candidate. And they will be around for a much longer term than a candidate. And as they will be the majority party for at least 2 years, people have good reason to contribute to them. Sorry, didn’t finish the thought completely. Can the Obama for America campaign give money directly to the DNC? ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obamas-campaign-have-money-left-over/472077/10 "2008-11-11T00:18:55Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > Sorry, didn’t finish the thought completely. Can the Obama for America campaign give money directly to the DNC? Yes. And I don’t believe there are limits on how much a candidate (or anyone) can give to a party unit. Whereas there are the other way around.