It Figures

$2.8 billion
Amount the Center for Responsive Politics predicted would be the total cost of the 2006 congressional election, based on campaign finance reports.

The nonpartisan group noted that the average cost of winning a 2006 House race was about $966,000, based on pre-election finance reports, and $7.8 million for a Senate seat.

The national party committees reported spending nearly $710 million — $404.6 million by Republicans through Oct. 18 and $304.9 million by Democrats.

49.5%
Percentage of the vote outgoing California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi received to win the Lt. Governor position. He defeated Republican Tom McClintock, who received 44.9 percent of the vote, according to the Secretary of State.

$315 million
Amount Washington’s employers and workers could save in avoided workers compensation premiums in 2007 as a result of a six-month partial suspension of rates proposed by the Department of Labor and Industries.

42
Number of the voting measure in Oregon that would have banned the use of credit scoring by the insurance industry. Measure 42 was defeated by a margin of 65.58 percent – 34.42 percent, in November’s election.

2,000
Number of calls per week Washington State’s Insurance Consumer Hotline receives from consumers with questions about their insurance.