Jed Duggar Spent Tens of Thousands of Dollars on His Political Campaign He Lost
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar have been on television for years, and they brought their 19 kids into the spotlight. Now, it’s Jedidiah Duggar’s turn for attention. While many of the Duggars started their own social media accounts to show off their marriages and kids, Jed’s using Instagram to push his political platform.
Recently, Jed ran for a seat in the Arkansas House of Representatives, and he lost. It turns out he spent way more money on his campaign than his opponent, too. Here’s how much.
Jed Duggar lost the Arkansas election after running for the House of Representatives
Jed is following his father, Jim Bob, in his political footsteps. Jim Bob was on the Arkansas House of Representatives representing the Republican party, so there’s no doubt Jed hoped to walk the same path. And in 2019, Jed made his platform public.
“I’m announcing my candidacy for Arkansas State Representative District 89 in Springdale,” Jed posted to Instagram. “I’d appreciate your prayers, support, and your vote! I’m a Conservative. Pro-Life. Pro-Second Amendment. Pro-Religious Liberty. Combat the Opioid Crisis. Lower Taxes. More Jobs & Growth. Strong Economy.”
Unfortunately for Jed, his opponent, Megan Godfrey, had a stronger platform. She was reelected for a second term.
“While I am disappointed that we came up short, I am grateful for the opportunity to listen and learn from so many amazing people that make Northwest Arkansas one of the best places to live in the USA,” Jed wrote on Facebook after his defeat.
Jed spent $15,000 more than his opponent
Jed pulled out all the stops for his campaign. He created an Instagram to reach even more of his fans and followers, and a few of his siblings advocated for him on social media. But he still came up short. And it seems he lost a lot of money in the process.
A Reddit user noted the Arkansas Democrat Gazette posted how much a few of the candidates spent on their campaigns. As the source reported, “The District 89 race cost the candidates’ campaigns a combined $142,244. Duggar outspent Godfrey $76,298 to $60,985, reports show.”
Reddit users think Duggar way overspent.
“I’ve run a state rep campaign (different state) and have helped and been aware of budgets on a bunch of others,” one critic noted. “That’s A LOT for a state rep campaign.”
“I’m trying not to think about the fact he spent more than my salary as a public school teacher … to lose,” another wrote.
The Duggars seemed to have accrued a lot of wealth since filming with TLC
Many Duggar critics wondered how Jed would have this much money to give toward his campaign. Jim Bob and Michelle once talked about their extremely tight budget, as raising 19 children comes with plenty of costs. Everything from new clothes to groceries was budgeted. But now that many of the kids are all grown up and out of the family home, it seems the busy parents might have time and money to spare.
It’s likely Jim Bob helped out with some of Jed’s finances. Jim Bob probably supports Jed in his political endeavors, and it seems the patriarch of the family has made quite a lot over the years thanks to filming with TLC. Jim Bob and Michelle have an estimated net worth of $3.5 million, and they were most likely bringing in between $25,000 and $40,000 per episode of Counting On.
So, will Jed give up politics now that he lost the 2020 campaign? We doubt he’s throwing in the towel just yet. We’ll have to wait and see what he does next — and how much it’ll cost.
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