Running for office is really hard for non-millionaires

$$$$$ No Images? Click here         Running For Office Is Really Hard If You’re Not A Millionaire​ Many of the lawmakers walking the gilded halls of Congress are, financially, far better off than the constituents they represent. Millionaires comprise nearly 40 percent of Congress, compared to being just 4 percent of the U.S. population.  This lopsided representation is not just some coincidence.  Rich people have a significant advantage running for office in a political system that relies on private donations. Rich people have rich friends who can donate to their campaign. They have the resources to make sure everything is taken care of in their personal life so that they can focus all their attention on running for office. And they can fund their own campaign and not worry about spending all their time raising money.  “The notion of being able to just write a check for that much to help pay for ads and such ― that would be completely out of my abilities,” said Shawna Roberts, who quit her part-time job at McDonald’s to run as the Democratic candidate in Ohio’s 6th congressional district. The 2018 elections saw a surge of first-time candidates running for office. It was the most diverse field in history. But financially, many of these candidates found it tough to make ends meet.  READ MORE     WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING? Congress is running out of time to pass its sexual harassment bill.  The House unanimously passed a bill in February making badly needed updates to Congress’ policies on sexual harassment and discrimination. The Senate came around in May and passed its version of the bill. All they had left to do was hash out their differences and agree on a final version. But they can’t seem to work it out. READ MORE As the country mourns the death of former President George H.W. Bush, Congress is seeking to push back the Dec. 7 budget deadline, which would temporarily stall a contentious debate over border wall funding and likely delay a partial government shutdown. READ MORE U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping have pressed pause on the months-long escalation of their ongoing trade dispute. The White House announced the cease-fire following a two-hour dinner meeting on Saturday between Trump and Xi, held on the sidelines at the G-20 summit in Argentina. READ MORE    .     ICYMI For the second year in a row, President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump declined to attend the Kennedy Center Honors. While honorees and guests fielded the expected questions about Trump’s absence, the show proved it could resonate quite well without him there.   Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) announced Monday he will not be entering Louisiana’s gubernatorial race, a surprise decision that comes as a blow to national Republicans who were hoping to recruit a top-tier candidate to challenge Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards in 2019.   China is holding 1 million people in secretive indoctrination camps, separated from their families in conditions that have led to suicide attempts and deaths. The reason, it says, is Islam.    . Want more?  George Conway Suggests New Donald Trump Tweet May Break The Law Stephen King Draws Startling Comparison Between Trump And George H.W. Bush Michelle Obama Cancels Two Book Tour Events To Attend George H.W. Bush’s Funeral     HuffPost is now a part of Oath and a part of Verizon. On May 25, 2018 we introduced a new Oath Privacy Policy which will explain how your data is used and shared. Learn More. How will Trump’s administration impact you? Sign up for our email and find out. Did a friend send you this? Subscribe here. Like what you see? Share it. Want more? Here are two other newsletters you'll love: The Morning Email and Must Reads. ©2018 HuffPost | 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003 You are receiving this email because you signed up for updates from HuffPost Feedback | Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe    . - - Preferences  |  Unsubscribe