Billionaire Climate Activist Spends Over $215 Million in California Governor Primary
Tom Steyer spent more than $215 million of his own funds in an unsuccessful bid for the Democratic nomination for California governor. NBC News projected that two other candidates advanced past him in the all-party primary.
Nbc NewsBillionaire climate activist Tom Steyer spent more than $215 million of his own money in a bid for California governor, according to the latest state campaign finance reports. NBC News projected that former Fox News host Steve Hilton and former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra advanced to the general election, leaving Steyer out of the top two spots.
Steyer's spending included more than $209 million on advertising, which accounted for about two-thirds of all ad spending in the governor's race, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact. The candidate with the second-highest ad spending spent $11.7 million.
Six years earlier, Steyer contributed more than $300 million to his presidential campaign, including $318 million in contributions and $24 million in loans, according to federal campaign finance disclosures. His campaign spent more than any other candidate except the two eventual nominees and another self-funding candidate who spent over $1 billion.
Next week, a healthcare executive who has spent more than $90 million on a Georgia gubernatorial campaign will face the lieutenant governor in a Republican primary runoff.
