On the day he was sworn in, the winner of one of the most expensive Senate races in history described money in politics as “unfortunate,” and said he jokes with television journalists about them benefiting from campaign ad donations.
Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) made the remarks on Tuesday morning, during a taping of C-SPAN’s Washington Journal.
“It is unfortunate that these costs continue to increase,” he said.
“I have always teased some of the TV news anchors I have been interviewed with, [saying] I hope the affiliates they work for get into profit-sharing because they have certainly seen a lot of money come across their desks recently,” he added.
Although his incumbent opponent and allies of now-former Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) raised more money throughout the race, Gardner only started campaigning later in the game, in March. In the third quarter, as Gardner pulled ahead in the polls, he also began to edge past Udall in terms of fundraising.
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, only more money was spent on a senate race last election cycle in North Carolina. The bout between Gardner and Udall was the 12th most expensive senatorial contest in history, in nominal terms. After adjusting for inflation, it was the 18th most expensive senate campaign.
While Gardner negatively characterized the importance of money in politics on Tuesday, in June, he attended a conference organized and hosted by the right-wing billionaire Koch brothers, according to The Nation.
Among “independent donors” who spent the most on behalf of Gardner were Karl Rove’s Crossroads GPS and the big business-backed US Chamber of Commerce.
On Tuesday, the watchdog group Public Citizen warned Americans to prepare for attacks on consumer and environmental protections “by members of Congress who have been bought and paid for in the most expensive midterm election in US history.”
Just prior to making comments on money in politics, Gardner said he would work to ensure that the Keystone XL Pipeline is built, and said that regulatory reform and tax reform are “important.”
