Ed Pawlowski wrote:

What has happened though, is the best fund raisers and/or the
wealthiest individual, not the best person wins the election. Not
many low income senators these days. In addition, you have media
scrutiny that makes the purest person hesitant to step into the
public eye. If you ever copped a cheap feel of Mary Jane in the
eight grade, it will be on the news the day after you announced your
candidacy for office.

In most cases, money is a proxy for support. The more support a candidate
has, the more money he can raise.