How much profit do you make on a campaign trail?

[CarlPilkington]

I was thinking about Rick Santorum and how completely nuts the things he said during the primaries were. He seemed to say whatever conservatives wanted to hear and it was working well for him. However, as soon as he slipped even a little in the polls, he dropped out.

To me, when you take into account some of the things he said, I just can't believe anyone would say that with the intention of becoming president. It seemed to me that he was in it for something else, so I wanted to ask how much money he made campaigning and then dropping out.

[Jack]

I have heard of politicians bankrupting themselves running for office. They probably didn't get a lot of contributions, though. I suspect the real profit is in gaining wealthy, powerful and influential supporters who can help you further your political goals down the road.

[grandpa]

I have heard of politicians bankrupting themselves running for office.
They probably didn't get a lot of contributions, though.

And for what? Just so they can get frenchfried on the evening news? It sure will strengthen your faith in the fallibility of man.

Grandpa h.

[Thanatos]

Politicians are generally not rational actors seeking to maximize profit.

It is often exactly what it looks like. Politicians can simply be violently confused gibbering troglodytes driven to waste vast quantities of cash solely to see their name in the headlines in some kind of neurotic vanity binge that gets them elected almost by accident. This is not as bad as it sounds, or at least not as bad as it could be. They even represent their people, in a manner of speaking. This is the government we asked for and the government we deserve.

If you ever do see a politician who is genuinely rationally selfish, shoot him.

[gallo]

So you are all saying that I should supplement my income by running for public office and then taking the campaign money and running with it when I loose?

Why haven't I thought of this before. My hat is in the ring. Don't know what I'm going to run for, but it's the money in my pocket that is important.