Candidate security costs surge amid rising political violence

Security spending for congressional and presidential campaigns has increased fivefold over the past decade, according to a report from the Public Service Alliance released this week. Federal political committees allocated more than $40 million on security expenses during the 2023-24 campaign cycle, the highest recorded for that period. The report highlights a troubling trend of escalating threats against public officials, including doxing and assassination plots.

The report does not specify which candidates incurred the highest security costs, nor does it account for rising federal government security expenses, such as enhanced Capitol Police services and U.S. Secret Service protection for candidates and their families. Justin Sherman, the report's author, noted, "This is not a good place to be as a country," emphasizing the grim history of political violence over the past decade, including multiple assassination attempts and attacks on public officials.

The report indicates that security spending is a small fraction of the billions spent on elections but likely understates the true financial burden of security needs. Digital security expenses have surged, with spending rising from $50,000 in the 2015-16 election cycle to $900,000 in 2023-24. Alarmingly, campaigns have spent nearly $1 million on home security in the past decade, a stark increase from zero in the 2015-16 cycle. This trend reflects the growing threats to officials at their homes, exacerbated by practices like doxing, where personal addresses are shared online.

Sherman pointed out that while security measures at public events are now expected, the targeting of officials' homes represents a new and dangerous frontier. He stated, "It's a troubling time when the security spend is becoming a greater barrier for someone running for office." This shift in the political landscape raises concerns about who may be deterred from entering public service due to these escalating security costs.