Super Tuesday is wrapped, and the votes are tallied. Here’s a look at what each vote cost each candidate.
Cost estimates come from CMAG/Kantar Media and represent spending on TV advertising in Super Tuesday states from January 1, 2015 to March 2, 2016.
Republicans
You can’t buy much for 15 cents these days – unless you’re Ben Carson.
As the race for the Republican nomination went national on Super Tuesday, the former neurosurgeon turned out to be the best bargain hunter in the race. He spent a mere $75,000 on TV advertising in the states holding caucuses and primaries on Tuesday, but still managed to garner 489,588 votes, for an average cost of 15 cents per vote.
Of course, Carson is barely figuring in the actual nomination battle.
The night’s big winner was Donald Trump, and he continues to rake in victories on the cheap – boosted by jaw-dropping amounts of free media. He spent about $2.1 million across the Super Tuesday states and racked up 2,923,184 votes, for a budget-conscious 72 cents per vote.
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The two men fighting to be the alternative to Trump poured a lot more cash into the race, with less to show for it. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and his PAC allies spent $9.9 million to win 1,867,264 votes, for a generous $5.30 per vote. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and supporters shelled out $9.8 million and got 2,483,553 votes. That works out to $3.95 per vote.
And finally, Ohio Gov. John Kasich continues to be hoping for a landscape shift that will help make him the nominee. If he does manage it, he’ll have done it on the cheap. He and his allies spent $320,000 on Super Tuesday advertising and took 538,996 votes, for an average cost of 59 cents per vote.
Democrats
On the Democratic side, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was the winner, not only in the number of states and votes she won, but in cost per vote. She and her allies spent about $7.83 million across the Super Tuesday states, and she captured 3,534,665 votes. That’s $2.16 per vote.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders spent slightly less – $6.1 million – and took 2,264,165 votes, for a cost of $2.69 per vote.