The Economics of Campaigning for Office
We hear it all the time: “Campaigning is expensive.” While that is a true statement, there is very rarely a follow-up to this statement to show why and how it is expensive to campaign for public office. Let’s dive into the realities and numbers involved.
As of last reporting, 9/30/2026, I have raised $92,440.25 to run for Oklahoma’s Fourth District this November, excluding my own personal contributions. On one hand, that is a lot of money, and I am so grateful and thankful to my fellow Oklahomans who have taken a risk and invested in this campaign with me. On the other hand, it is a drop in the bucket when compared to the $5 million that my opponent has raised this cycle.
Common Expenses for a Campaign
The greatest campaign expense is staff. This cycle, staff salaries will cost me a grand total of roughly $75,000. This includes payroll, payroll tax, FICA contributions, unemployment insurance, etc. These costs add up quickly and can lead a campaign to fold early if the candidate cannot raise enough to support ongoing operations.
After campaign staff, the campaign pays $900/month for a lease for the campaign headquarters at 300 W. Gray and averages about $150/month in utilities, for a total of $1,050/month. This will be approximately $13,000 for the cycle to secure a campaign headquarters in Norman. Between this and staff, we are already running $88,000!
We are all annoyed by political texts, right? I know, me too. Regardless, they are critical for a campaign that spans 14 counties and encompasses nearly 800,000 Oklahomans. To that end, we have sent hundreds of thousands of text messages and made nearly 50,000 phone calls as a campaign. The total bill for all of this outreach thus far? $9,963.57 this cycle. We still have more texts and phone calls to send out soon.
The next largest line item in the campaign is printing. I am proud to announce that, as of this blog post, the campaign has knocked over 15,000 doors! To accomplish that, we need volunteers, but we also need literature, which is a direct expense to the campaign. We have purchased and distributed over 25,000 walk cards this election, not to mention additional printing such as letters, invitations, event-specific literature, volunteer best practices, and so much more. Total printing costs are roughly $8,000 this cycle.
After these larger line items are the smaller but critical expenses. We pay $150/month for access to the software that allows us to knock doors; we have to pay to secure certain venues; we have paid more than $5,000 for yard signs; we have a campaign cell phone, phone bank, computers, and so much more. These expenses are much smaller, but they add up. Did I mention that it was $1,000 just to file for office?! Every action we take has an associated cost, and while I despise asking for money to run this campaign, the reality is that I am not a rich man, and this campaign would be impossible without community investment.
What This Campaign Has Not Paid
In a list of what we have paid this cycle, I think it is important to note what this campaign is not responsible for covering. Throughout this cycle, as you can imagine, I have driven over 30,000 miles in my personal vehicle and had dozens of coffees, lunches, and dinners. At no point have I billed this campaign for a single tank of gas, coffee, lunch, or dinner. Because this campaign is purely grassroots and running so lean, I decided to personally absorb each of those expenses throughout this campaign cycle.
In addition to direct expenses involving me as a candidate. That is right, not a single dime has been spent on fancy consultants, advisors, or strategists. This campaign has not spent a dime on polling or on attorney’s fees. Because we have decided to handle all reports, accounting, and filings internally, the campaign has not spent a dime on CPA services or FEC reporting specialists, and we have not shelled out any money to file our reports, which have all been timely thanks to my incredible Treasurer!
Who Is Funding the Campaign?
This campaign is purely grassroots, funded by individual donors. I reject all PAC funds, and so we have almost completed the entire 2026 Midterm Election without a dime in PAC, special interest, or lobbyist funding! I am so proud of that statistic. More than 95% of contributions come from individuals in Oklahoma, and the rest come from my family, friends, and colleagues scattered throughout the United States.
Why This Campaign is Still Fundraising
If you made it this far, you may notice that I haven't mentioned marketing, advertising, or television yet. That is because we are still fundraising for those expenses. Blessedly, the good People of Oklahoma have funded us sufficiently to make it to 11/3, pay all rent and payroll, and finish the cycle on solid financial ground. Unfortunately, we have not been able to fundraise beyond our operational needs. This means that, without an influx of funds in this final stretch, we do not have a war chest to combat my opponent’s $3M cash on hand, though I am working to address that imbalance, and you can help by investing in the campaign!
In addition to advertising, etc., more expenses are still to come. For example, we cannot keep yard signs in stock! It is a great problem to have. So we'll need to purchase more. Beyond that, we are still knocking doors, hosting phone banks, sending text messages, and hosting town halls. These all have associated expenses, and the campaign will not be billed for some of them until mid-November. So, we have to raise and set aside funds to cover these expenses.
Where Your Funds Will Go If You Contribute Today
In the abstract, the campaign has enough funds to order more signs, make more calls, and send more texts. If we do not receive an additional dime between now and the election, however, then these are the only expenses we will be able to cover. All contributions going forward will be funding voter outreach: Facebook ads, television ads, and streaming ads. We may not have a $3M war chest, but we are frugal, we are scrappy, and we will spend what we can to earn as many votes as possible and take back OUR seat in the U.S. House on 11/3.
As we close this out, I want to tell you that my 35th birthday is this Sunday! To that end, if you have not given yet to the campaign, will you write a check for $350 as a birthday gift to your favorite candidate for the United States Congress? I promise to be a good steward of your investment, and I'll use it to take back Oklahoma’s Fourth Congressional District on 11/3.
