Maryland Democratic Rep. David Trone squandered $62 million of his own fortune on a failed bid for his party’s nomination for the U.S. Senate.
Trone attended the Democratic primary in Maryland on Tuesday against Angela Alsobrooks, a county executive from Prince George’s County, the birthplace of Washington, D.C.
Alsobrooks spent about $6 million on the race—one-tenth of what Trone did—and defeated the congressman by about 12 points, with 66 percent of the votes counted.
Trone founded and co-owns Total Wine & More and was estimated to be worth $2.4 billion as of October 2023. according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
The Washington Post reported this on Tuesday that Trone’s $62 million indicates that Trone is spending more of his own money on the Democratic Senate primary — replacing retiring Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin — than any candidate in the 21st century.
Representative David Trone speaks to supporters and concedes his Senate primary Tuesday night in Baltimore, Maryland, after making $62 million of his own fortune
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who appeared with other Republican politicians Tuesday at former President Donald Trump’s hush-money trial, has the distinction of paying the most per vote of any modern candidate: $28,000 per voter
Trone spent slightly less than the $66 million that former President Donald Trump poured into his longshot 2016 presidential campaign.
The real estate developer and reality TV star poured his own millions into the race against Democrat Hillary Clinton — while also taking donations from donors and supporters — and pulled off a shocking victory on election night.
Since then, Trump has used donor dollars instead of his own cause to unsuccessfully run for re-election in 2020 and take back the White House in 2024.
One of the candidates vying to become Trump’s vice president, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, holds the distinction of being the candidate who spent the most money per vote.
Burgum spent about $14 million of his software and technology fortune on his 2024 presidential campaign.
Because he withdrew before the Iowa caucuses, that means his roughly 500 votes cost $28,000 per voter, according to The Post.
Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg spent an eye-watering $1 billion on his short-lived 2020 presidential campaign — where he withdrew, declared his support and then threw his financial support behind Biden.
Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg spent $1 million to run for president in 2020, but then dropped out and endorsed President Joe Biden. Bloomberg won the caucus in American Samoa and was on the ballot in many states, paying about $427 per vote
Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer (left) has poured $340 million into his longshot 2020 presidential campaign, probably best known for his performance of Back that Azz Up alongside rapper Juvenile (right) on the eve of the South Carolina primary
With Bloomberg’s name on some primary ballots, he spent about $427 per vote, The Post reported.
He won only one race: the Democratic caucus in American Samoa.
Another Democrat running for the White House four years ago was Tom Steyer.
He spent more than $340 million on a run that saw him receive about 260,000 votes, earning about $1,315 per vote, according to The Post.
Steyer campaigned heavily in South Carolina and is probably best known for his performance with Back that Azz Up alongside rapper Juvenile on the eve of the important Democratic primaries in the south of the state.
But all that money only earned him third place in the Palmetto State.