Ritchie Rich Tarrant, that is, the Republican software gazillionaire who ran for a Vermont U.S. Semate seat while building a new$9 million home on Florida’s Atlantic coast. You’ll recall Mr. Tarrantwas Independent Bernie Sanders’ opponent in last November’s Vermont U.S. Senate race.

Sanders simply crushed Tarrant, beating him by better than 2-to-1.

TheNational Journal reports this week that Ritchie Rich, who received84,924 votes or 32.3 percent compared to Ol’Bernardo’s 171,638 votes or 65.4percent, spent more money per vote than any senate candidate in U.S.History – $7,176,535  or $85-per-vote:

Spending PerVote In Senate Races
Vermont Republican Richard Tarrantspent by far the most money on each vote, while fellow self-funders Pete Ricketts, a Nebraska Republican, and Ned Lamont, a Connecticut Democrat, placedsecond and third, respectively.

Sanders spent $34-per-vote.

Of course, unlike Tarrant, Sanders had a message.

I still have no idea what Ritchie Rich’s was, do you?

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Peter Freyne, 1949-2009, wrote the weekly political column "Inside Track," which originated in the Vanguard Press in the mid 1980s; he brought it to Seven Days in 1995. He retired it shortly before his death in January, 2009. We all miss him.