The most expensive campaign in Maine history continues apace as the leading candidates in the high-profile U.S. Senate race draw staggering amounts of cash from across the country.
Democratic challenger Sara Gideon raised more than $39 million in the third quarter of this year, quadrupling incumbent Sen. Susan Collins’ haul of $8.3 million.
Those two totals for the third quarter are roughly equal to the amount raised by all Senate general election candidates in Maine from 2000 to 2018.
Colby College professor Tony Corrado also noted that the unspent cash between Gideon and Collins — more than $22 million — is more than was spent during the entire 2008 Senate race between Collins and Democrat Tom Allen.
Meanwhile, groups independent of the candidates have spent more than $75 million so far.
Independent candidate Lisa Savage raised $82,000 during the third quarter while independent Max Linn loaned his campaign more than $475,000.
