Final answer:
In the US, candidates can spend an unlimited amount of their own money in elections due to a ruling by the Supreme Court. This is protected as free speech, but there are still limits on the amount individuals can give to candidates.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the United States, candidates can spend an unlimited amount of their own money in trying to win an election. This is due to a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in the case Buckley v. Valeo in 1976, which upheld the right of candidates to spend as much of their own money as they choose as a form of protected free speech.
This ruling was based on the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech. The Court determined that placing limits on a candidate's personal spending would be a violation of their First Amendment rights.
However, it's important to note that while candidates can spend their own money without limit, there are still limits on the amount that individuals can give to candidates. This is to prevent wealthy individuals from exerting an inordinate amount of influence on the political process and to preserve the influence of average citizens in elections.