After a candidate drops out of a race, what does their campign do with their leftover cash?

After an American political candidate drops out of a race and pays all of the campaign's outstanding debts and liabilities, there's a possibility that the campaign has cash remaining. Surely the candidate cannot keep the cash.





Are there restrictions on what the campaign may do with the remaining cash?





Perhaps donate to their political party, give to another candidate, donate to a non-profit organization, etc.?





Please include citations if possible. Thanks.

After a candidate drops out of a race, what does their campign do with their leftover cash?
If it is a local, state, or federal campaign, the rules and laws change, except for one very common factor. In almost all cases, or all that I could find on the web, they can always save the money for their next campaign. If a Senator runs for president, loses, then they can use it for their next re-election campaign.


Most states allow it to be donated to the same party or candidates of the same party, as Obama did after his run for Senator ... which you can google and read from old USA or CNN or even his own biography. Which is why he has so much political clout ...as is the reason a lot of candidates have so much clout. It becomes a "power club" of candidates helping candidates.


Federal laws are a bit more specific, but have so many loop-holes, that a big party for the losing candidates supporters and large personal loans generally eat up any left-overs, while giving the candidate a good base for their next campaign.
Reply:According to campaign finance law, they can either return it to the donors, use it for a future campaign, or use it to start a political action committee.
Reply:after that candidate's expenses are paid, whatever is left over goes to their national parties.





and no, they can NEVER keep the money. every penny must be accounted for.





that's why they must file reports with the federal elections commissions (fec).