With the 2016 presidential election fast approaching, many of us are doing all we can to stay informed about the candidates hoping to be the next president of the United States. One important factor for many voters is our future president's ability to connect and relate to the common American citizen. After seeing just how much money the top candidates have, though, you might find yourself wondering if any of the people you might vote for could truly understand many of the struggles that non-politicians face every day.
It's no secret that being a political leader is a tough job. All you have to do is see what our presidents looked like before and after their terms to see just how much stress they experience during their time in office. When you consider the enormous amount of responsibility our politicians have, it makes sense to pay them well for their duties. However, many of the leading candidates in the 2016 election are far wealthier than we could even imagine. Many of them make even more than the top-earning actors of 2015!
If you've ever been curious as to just how much money your favorite presidential candidate is worth, check out the wealth amounts of the twenty top candidates according to Forbes. I had no idea that the person I want to vote for was so rich!
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20. Martin O'Malley
The former governor of Maryland was once in the top 5% of earners in the United States, but he took on a large amount of debt to put his four kids through college. These days, he has a net worth of $0.00, making him the poorest presidential candidate.
19. Marco Rubio
The Florida senator and 2016 presidential candidate is estimated to be worth about $100,000, though putting his kids through college (in addition to having some pretty expensive personal assets including a boat) has significantly depleted his savings.
18. Bernie Sanders
$700,000 looks like a lot of money to most of us, but it's practically nothing when you're one of the top presidential candidates for 2016. This Vermont senator's net worth makes him only the 18th wealthiest person hoping to be the next president.
17. Lindsey Graham
This South Carolina senator is valued at a cool $1 million.
16. Rick Santorum
The former Pennsylvania senator's $2 million net worth comes largely from renting out the multiple properties he owns near Penn State.
15. Rand Paul
The Kentucky senator's $2 million didn't come from his salary alone; he also wrote multiple books and sold his ophthalmology practice for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
14. Chris Christie
The governor of New Jersey is worth around $3 million largely thanks to his wife, who works on Wall Street.
13. Ted Cruz
The Texas senator and member of the Tea Party once practiced law. His accumulated wealth (along with his wife's earnings from her job at Goldman Sachs) is estimated to be $3.5 million.
12. Bobby Jindal
The governor of Louisiana has an estimated net worth of $5 million.
11. Jim Webb
The former senator of Virginia didn't just earn his $6 million from his careers in politics and the military — he's also an accomplished author and wrote the story for the 2000 film Rules of Engagement.
10. Jim Gilmore
The former Virginia governor has earned much of his $7 million through investing.
9. Mike Huckabee
Once the governor of Arkansas, Huckabee made most of his $9 billion through hosting on radio shows and on Fox News. He has also authored multiple best-selling books.
8. John Kasich
The Ohio governor's history as an investment banker and Fox News host has helped him achieve a net worth of over $10 million.
7. George Pataki
The former New York governor is worth $13 million thanks to his work as a politician and a lawyer.
6. Jeb Bush
The former Florida governor is currently worth $22 million.
5. Ben Carson
The retired neurosurgeon's numerous accomplishments in the medical field have helped him accumulate a wealth of $26 million.
4. Lincoln Chafee
In addition to serving as the mayor of Warwick, the governor of Rhode Island, and on the Senate, Chafee was also the recipient of a large inheritance, bringing his net worth up to $32 million.
3. Hillary Clinton
The former Secretary of State and First Lady is worth $45 million.
2. Carly Fiorina
The former CEO of HP and former adviser to John McCain has a net worth of $58 million.
1. Donald Trump
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Trump makes all the other candidates' earnings look like chump change when compared to his wealth of $4.5 billion.
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