GOP Outspent Democrats 3 to 1, FEC Reports : But 1983-84 Spending Gap Is Narrower Than Previous Two Years’ 5 to 1

The Republican Party spent $300 million in the last two years, three times as much as the Democrats, the Federal Election Commission said Wednesday.

But the Democratic Party narrowed the gap from the previous two elections, when it was outspent by the GOP by more than 5 to 1.

The FEC said its final figures show that the Republican Party spent $300.8 million during 1983-84. That was up 40% from 1981-82, when it spent $214 million.

The Democrats spent $97.4 million in the period. That was almost 2 1/2 times more than in 1981-82, when they spent $40 million.

The figures include all the money that passed through the hands of several national party organizations, including the main fund-raising arms of the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee, as well as each party’s Senatorial Campaign Committee and Congressional Committee.

Much of the money was spent raising the funds and on so-called party-building activities rather than on direct contributions to House or Senate candidates.

The Republicans, who got a jump on the Democrats in the mid-1970s in using massive mail solicitations as a key fund-raising technique, raised 88% of their money from individuals, contrasted with 59% for the Democrats.