I should know the answer to this, but don't: what happens to excess campaign funds?

[closeupready]

That is, if someone has a surplus of dollars in their campaign coffers when they leave office, what happens to that money?

[brooklynite]

1. Technically, the campaign organization still exists.....

....to support re-election or campaigns for other offices. The unspent money is available to cover those races, as well as management of the campaign organization itself. The candidate can also -generally- make contributions from that campaign to another one (may be limits on whether the money must go to state or Federal candidates).

[asdjrocky]

2. Huge party.

Lot's of swag.

[KansDem]

3. I dunno...ask Christine O'Donnell...

She's the expert on this...

Watchdog: Christine O'Donnell "Clearly a Criminal"

[TexasObserver]

4. I believe after paying off campaign debts, they get to keep the money if they retire.

I'm sure they have to declare it as income, but it's one way politicians can take bribes legally.

I haven't looked at the law on that in a long time, however, so it could have changed.

I will defer to anyone who has more current knowledge. I could be wrong.

[closeupready]

5. If that is so, I would really like someone here to confirm it.

That certainly would be interesting to look at.

[TexasObserver]

6. Unfortunately, I'm right. They can do pretty much whatever they want.

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/campaign-finance-senators-house-members-campaign-funds-retire/story?id=10203316

This applies to retiring office holders. Not sure about those still remaining in office.