Campbell: How can we rein in campaign spending?

In fewer than 60 days the filing period opens for candidates to run in the March 3 primary elections. The window opens Dec. 1 and closes Dec. 19. Before we become involved in specific races, candidates and issues let’s consider how we can improve North Carolina’s elections.

California House Speaker Jesse Unruh once said that “money is the mother’s milk of politics.” The money in politics gets larger in every election. Our 2020 gubernatorial election was estimated to have cost $53 million. Last year’s governor’s race cost more than $125 million. These numbers are just what the campaigns spent and don’t consider what was raised by outside groups. Already forecasters are predicting the 2026 Cooper-Whatley U.S. Senate race will exceed $500 million, the most expensive in the nation.

Our elect