The most expensive re-election campaigns

The most expensive re-election campaigns

Most Expensive Re-Election Campaigns
President Barack Obama has announced he'll run for office again in 2012, launching speculation about how much he'll spend. We've rounded up past incumbents who spared no expense in defending their political posts.

Barack Obama
The president has officially announced his 2012 re-election campaign, and some say it'll be the most expensive in history. What is the early fundraising rumor?

Michele Bachmann
Last November, U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn, beat her challenger to retain this congressional district. The race earned a high-dollar distinction.

Barbara Boxer
In last year's U.S. Senate race, U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., beat her wealthy opponent. It's been reported that the senator spent nearly everything she'd raised — how much was that?

Michael Bloomberg
Bloomberg was named mayor of New York City the third time in a row, having bested his 2009 challenger. How much did the Big Apple cost?

Harry Reid
Democrat Sen. Harry Reid went all out to secure his Nevada Senate seat last year. This meant aiming for a lofty goal. It was the second-most-expensive Senate race — which state was first?

George Pataki
Pataki was re-elected New York's governor in 2002, after spending somewhere in the ballpark of this large sum.

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Then-New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton reportedly spent more than any other Senate candidate when she ran against her 2006 opponent. How much was it?

John McCain
During the last midterm elections, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is estimated to have spent more on a successful bid than any other Senate candidate.

Most Powerful People In The World

Most Powerful People In The World

Hu Jintao

President, People's Republic of China

China's President Hu Jintao attends the declaration ceremony at the end of the APEC Summit on November 15, 2009, in Singapore. The 2 day APEC CEO Summit, part of APEC Leaders Week, had brought together over 800 of the world's top business leaders and 15 world leaders in Singapore to address key global trade and economic issues
Barack Obama

President, United States of America

Official portrait of President Barack Obama on Jan. 13, 2009.

Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud

King, Saudi Arabia

Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud awaits the arrival of Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah for an emergency summit of the Gulf Cooperation

Vladimir Putin

Prime Minister, Russia

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, seen during a meeting with the leadership of the United Russia party at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow in Moscow, Saturday, Oct., 2, 2010.

 Pope Benedict XVI

Pope, Roman Catholic Church

Pope Benedict XVI greets the crowd after he presided over a Mass at Westminster Cathedral in central London, Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010. Pope Benedict XVI said Saturday he was ashamed of the "unspeakable" sexual abuse of children by priests, telling the British faithful during Mass in Westminster Cathedral that he was deeply sorry and hoped the church's humiliation would help victims heal. Benedict also said he hoped the church would be able to use its contrition to purify itself from the "sins" of its ministers and be able to renew its commitment to educating the young.

  Angela Merkel

Chancellor, Germany

German Chancellor Angela Merkel smiles during an European Council summit on September 16, 2010 in Brussels. Europe heads for a fireball summit with France

David Cameron





furious over attacks on its expulsion of Roma Gypsies and trouble brewing over how to prevent a repeat of the Greek debt crisis.

Prime Minister, United Kingdom

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron leaves 10 Downing Street, his official residence, in London, Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2010. Cameron is scheduled to outline the details of cuts likely to total as much as 3 billion pounds ($4.8 billion) from the defense ministry's annual budget of about 37 billion pounds ($59 billion). Britain will lose thousands of troops, build new aircraft carriers without new fighter jets and delay a multibillion-pound upgrade to its nuclear deterrent under sweeping defense cuts being announced Tuesday following the first major military review in more than a decade.
Ben Bernanke

Chairman, Federal Reserve

Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke waits for the beginning of a hearing before the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee September

 Sonia Gandhi

30, 2010 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The hearing was to focus on the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

President, Indian National Congress

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is welcomed by Chairperson of the UPA Government and Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi during a meeting at her

Bill Gates

Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Bill Gates, co-chairman of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, listens during an interview at Roosevelt House in New York, U.S., on Monday, Jan. 31, 2011. Gates, chairman and co-founder of Microsoft Corp., called for urgent donations to stop the spread of polio and make it the first infectious disease eradicated since smallpox was wiped from the planet in 1979.