Capitol Idea

Introducing the Senate Candidate of the Future

Jonathan Rauch | August 27, 2004

"Hull's candidacy illustrates an increasingly prominent phenomenon: the attempt of rich unknowns to buy their way into major public office. As the cost of campaigns continues to soar, these people have become more important to cash-strapped political parties. Over the past decade, a succession of them have spent eye-popping sums."
—JOSHUA GREEN, The Atlantic, Jan./Feb. 2004

REUTERS REPORTER: Where is this guy? I'm leaving.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES REPORTER: He can't be serious. He can't win. Not against Obama. Not after the Keyes fiasco.

CHICAGO PUBLIC RADIO REPORTER: He's worth billions, and he's spending about half of it on this race. Sorry, but that's serious.

SUN-TIMES: Look at this place. Cigars. Wing chairs. Pewter. He's announcing at his club. What kind of nut announces his Senate candidacy at his club?

PUBLIC RADIO: Jon Corzine spent $62 million. That seemed like a lot of money.

REUTERS: It is a lot of money, where I come from.

PUBLIC RADIO: Well, this guy makes Corzine look like a cheapskate.

SUN-TIMES: I hear he's smart. He owns 12 companies. He went to Harvard.

REUTERS: I hear he's an idiot. He inherited.

WDUH-TV ON YOUR SIDE EYEWITNESS NEWSPERSON: Hey, gang. Am I late? I was getting coiffed.

REUTERS: No later than usual. Lucky for you, he's even later. Nice hair.

WDUH-TV: I missed my morning paper. What's my story today?

REUTERS: OK, I'm only going through this once, so listen. We're at the Lawnbrier Golf and Kennel Club in Evanston, Illinois. This is a press conference. See, Barack Obama is a hot young Democrat running for the open Senate seat. His first Republican opponent drops out in a scandal. His second opponent, Alan Keyes, puts his foot into it one time too many and gets an emergency appointment as ambassador to Brunei. So the Republicans are desperate. Along comes this unknown mega-tycoon who offers to finance his whole campaign out of his own pocket because he wants to be a senator.

WDUH-TV: Is that legal?