In AK, Senate race spending tops $50 million

[Blue_In_AK]

http://www.adn.com/article/20141028/senate-race-spending-tops-50-million-candidates-fight-finish

With a week to go before the election, the total spent on the U.S. Senate race in Alaska is already in the $50 million range, far surpassing any election in state history.

The campaigns and outside groups chipping in tens of millions to to help or hinder Sen. Mark Begich and challenger Dan Sullivan are on track to spend $150 to $200 per vote.

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In 2010, when Sen. Lisa Murkowski won on a write-in campaign against Republican Joe Miller and Democrat Scott McAdams, outside spending in the 2010 contest totaled about $4 million.

This year, with more than nine times as much being directed to Alaska, more than $19 million has been in support of Begich or against Sullivan, while $17 million went to support Sullivan or oppose Begich. The figures are incomplete, however, because some groups do not have to report what they spend on ads run early in the campaign that appear to back or oppose a candidate, but stop short of a clear declaration.

The statistics show that the outside spending in Alaska is the fourth highest in the country, not in per capita terms, but in total dollars spent. In per capita terms, it is the highest.

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This is really quite insane. I would have voted for Mark Begich for free.

[davidpdx]

1. The outside spending on the senate campaigns is getting out of control

It is only going to get worse until we overturn the Citizen's United decision.