A look at election spending around the country puts the Minnesota 6th District campaign between GOP Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and Democrat Jim Graves as the second most expensive House race.
Most of the spending — a 10-to-1 margin — was by Bachmann.
On the eve of the election, Marketwatch says the top five races in each chamber have reached a cumulative $400 million in spending, according to the Center for Responsive Politics’s web site, OpenSecrets.org.
The story says $21 million has been spent so far in the Bachmann-Grave race, making it second in national House races only to Florida’s 18th District, where Republican U.S. Rep. Allen West and Democrat Patrick Murphy have spent $23.6 million so far.
OpenSecrets.org’s site shows Bachmann has raised $20.7 million and spent $19.3 million this cycle.
That compares to Graves’ $2 million raised and $1.5 million spent.
The race is generally considered leaning towards Bachmann, says the Marketwatch story, which also notes:
One would think Bachmann, who ran for president this year and is a national figure, wouldn’t have to spend so much to win. But she’s not taking the race for granted, and it appears she shouldn’t. House members who run for president often find a tepid reception when they leave the campaign trail and return to their day jobs.
