According to the Federal Election Commission, independent organizations have reported spending nearly $3.5 million to influence the results in Arizona’s CD1.
The district stretches across northern and eastern Arizona and includes Flagstaff.
That $3.5 million is more than a million more than the republican and democrat have spent on their own campaigns.
Because of the 2010 Supreme Court decision, Citizens United, those independent groups don’t have to disclose where that money is coming from.
And they don’t have to necessarily report all the money they’ve spent.
Of that $3.5 million, $1.5 million has been spent opposing democrat Ann Kirkpatrick.
$1.6 million dollars have been spent opposing Republican Jonathan Paton.
Another $370,000 have been spent supporting Paton.
Political observers call the Kirkpatrick/Paton race one of the top races in the country to watch for control of the US House.
And pollsters call the contest very close.
So Arizona voters can likely expect more independent money to roll into the state.
In the last week alone, more than half a million dollars came from outside groups trying to influence the election.
