Could it be that even Koch money is finite?

[DFW]

There are maybe 60 to 80 House races that are in play and close enough to warrant a full battle. Probably few will be as close as PA-18, but that was supposed to be a safe Republican district, and they hit the panic button too late.

You can bet they are not waiting any longer for the November races. But are Chuck and Eddie willing to cough up $10 million for every one of those races? Plus another ten Senate races that are close, too? If so, we're talking close to Ten Billion Dollars. That is close to ten per cent of their combined net worth, and I doubt much of that is in liquid assets, with another round up again in just two years.

The Koch brothers are in their seventies and have more money than they'll ever be able to spend on themselves. So, they are looking to leave their mark on the country and history. History will be written later, but the country has the chance to impress upon them that the mark they are trying to leave is not one that the rest of the country wants.

[octoberlib]

1. Maybe it's because this seat is temporary?

There's another election in November and they didn't want to waste a ton of money on a months long Congressional seat. Both candidates are going to have to turn around and keep campaigning for November elections. The district they're in won't exist anymore and Lamb might have an easier road.

[Sherman A1]

2. In Theory, of course

but, I wouldn't expect them to exactly bow out and call it a day. There will be plenty of Koch Bros and like money spent by the GOP in the midterms and in the future. Remember they just got a big tax cut that will give them even more cash.

[lastlib]

14. Plus they rake in piles from other big donors.

It's not infinite, but it's still a large enough percentage to do a helluva lot of damage if we don't fight it tooth and nail.

[spinbaby]

3. Id love to know how much was spent per vote in the 18th

They probably spent at least $10 just in junk mail sent to my house.

[octoberlib]

4. One can only hope. The Kochs have been extremely destructive to our democracy.

[Initech]

18. I have no doubt they played a role in the Trump Russia gate.

When we get back in power we need to investigate the hell out of them.

[brewens]

5. Think of all the women running and how many more women may be willing to donate now

than before. It could be staggering! It wouldn't take all that much from any of them to bury what the Koch's would be willing to do.

[Mr. Sparkle]

6. Trumps 1.5 trillion in tax cuts is a lot of money to bash the democrats over the head with.

That 10 million is pocket change. But with the right candidate we can over come the negative ads.

[Fritz Walter]

7. How much did the национальная винтовка throw in?

That's "National Rifle Association" in Russian.
Hey, they funnel so much money into that sewer, they might as well get re-naming rights!

[Roland99]

8. heh

[7962]

9. Just more proof that a ton of money wont win an election.

It was proven in Georgia too; tens of millions spent on the losing Democratic candidate.
The PERSON and the MESSAGE matters most

[beachbum bob]

10. KOch brothers will throw all their money away in trying save their power but money does not

win elections any more as we saw in Pa-18

lets bankrupt those assholes along with the rest of elitist supporters of disastrous republican policies for america's wellbeing. Make america, america again

[ancianita]

11. Remember their ideological network of billionaires. There are many. Among them, 200-300 university

law and economics departments. Their cause will not die with them, though that is an event much to be wished. Will it dwindle? Sure. But the will to oligarchic rule will use any means necessary to cover its advancement, and someone else will take up their weaponized philanthropy.

While the Dem leadership has admitted they have nothing to compare to the Koch network, I have yet to see whether they even want to bother with any more than to nobly fight uphill battles every so often.

If this uphill is about winning back the electorals of WI, MI and PA -- still Koch zones -- then so much more work remains toward 2020.

If the Kochs buy remaining state houses for their goal of a constitutional convention -- which they will sell as a "balanced budget amendment" change, but only a starting point for all the changes they intend, and they are four states away from that reality -- that Koch-run constitutional convention will mark the end of democratic rule.

[ehrnst]

12. I'm betting that they will establish a foundation to fund PACs after they're gone. (nt)

[NewJeffCT]

13. While Pittsburgh is not small

There are 25 media markets that are larger and that $10 million might need to be more in bigger markets. Imagine how much they'd need in the San Diego, Miami, Dallas or Houston areas?

And, that also doesn't count potentially vulnerable Democrats that Republicans might want to unseat.

[spinbaby]

19. This wasnt Pittsburgh

This was the southern suburbs plus vast swaths of rural southwest Pennsylvania.

[NewJeffCT]

20. understood

but, is that $10 million being spent on ads on radio and TV stations based in Pittsburgh? Or, would residents of PA-18 watch TV stations in Ohio or West Virginia and not Pittsburgh?

[moose65]

15. Ill never understand the Koch brothers

I just looked them up -Charles is 82 and David is 77, and they are worth approximately 30 billion dollars each. If I was that old and had that much money, I’d be out enjoying my life instead of trying to grab more and more money. You can’t take it with you, boys!

[ehrnst]

16. Their father founded the John Birch Society. Politics is their religion. (nt)

[thesquanderer]

17. $10 mill was from ALL outside sources. Kochs were "hundreds of thousands" of it.

at least according to http://fortune.com/2018/03/12/pennsylvania-special-election-lamb-saccone-trump/