So far, Hillary Clinton’s campaign has raised substantially more money than Donald Trump’s but has cash ever really made a difference to U.S. election results down through the years? According to figures in Germany’s Handelsblatt newspaper (which have since been converted from euro to dollars), all of the election winners in recent years were also budget winners. Obama raised more money than Romney and McCain in 2012 and 2008, going on to win on both occasions.
George W. Bush also took the White House in 2004 and 2000, having raised more money than his competitors on both occasions. The pattern repeated itself with Bill Clinton outmuscling his opponents financially in 1996 and 1992 before winning both elections.
Based on that evidence, is Trump going to buck the trend and become the first “budget loser” to reach the White House since Jimmy Carter in 1976? This chart shows the campaign budgets of U.S. presidential candidates. 
Money and life
