Wisconsin recall elections final spending total: $43.9 million
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Network partner Wisconsin Democracy Campaign has issued a new, final assessment on the record spending in this year’s state recall elections. Between special interest groups, political committees, and candidates, a record $43.9 million was spent on nine races. Outside interest groups accounted for a majority of the spending, $34.5 million, while candidates directly spent almost $8 million.
The $43.9 million spent on nine recall races is more than double the $20.25 million spent on the 2008 elections, which saw 99 Assembly and 16 Senate races across the state. This year’s total is also greater than the $37.4 million spent on the state gubernatorial contest in 2010.
Wisconsin Democracy Campaign’s report also includes a breakdown of the most expensive Senate recalls this year (nearly $10 million was spent in the 8th district alone), and also lists the outside group spending (We Are Wisconsin PAC and Club For Growth Wisconsin each spent over $9 million across the state).
The report has been picked up by several state and national news outlets including the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin State Journal, and Associated Press (via the Twin Cities Pioneer Press).
