Madison - With the crucial final days leading up to the November 7 election still ahead, special interest groups led by the state teachers union already have spent more than $1.1 million to influence the outcome of the 10th Senate District race, according to an analysis of the latest campaign finance reports by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.

The tally is only a partial accounting of the special interest activity in the race, because it is based on reported independent expenditures supporting or opposing the two candidates - incumbent Democratic Senator Alice Clausing and Republican challenger Sheila Harsdorf - as well as known issue ad activity. For example, it does not include a figure for any spending being done by Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce. Groups running so-called issue ads do not have to report the activity to the state Elections Board.

Independent expenditures totaling $889,680 were reported as of mid-day today, of which $770,673 was spent by the Wisconsin Education Association Council. Reports confirming issue ad spending of at least $260,000 bring the total to at least $1,149,679.

Counting candidate spending reported so far, overall spending on the race already exceeds the previous record set in the 27th Senate District race in 1998. Clausing reported spending $188,577, bringing the total for the race to at least $1,338,256. That doesn't count spending by Harsdorf, whose report had not yet been received by the Elections Board.

In the 27th District race, which pitted Democrat Jon Erpenbach against Republican Nancy Mistele, the combined spending by the candidates and special interest groups totaled just over $1.1 million.

"The 10th District is the worst example of runaway spending in the 2000 election, but when all is said and done we may also see at least two other Senate races break the old record," WDC executive director Mike McCabe said, pointing to the 30th and 32nd Senate District races. "When the smoke clears, we'll have the finest legislature money can buy. Maybe now people will see why campaign finance reform is so badly needed."

Along with WEAC, groups reporting independent expenditures in the 10th District race include Volunteers for Agriculture, Building a Better Wisconsin, Planned Parenthood Advocates, Wisconsin Hunters' Association, Eau Claire Association of Education and Wisconsin Right to Life PAC.

Numerous groups are waging issue ad campaigns in the race. Reports indicate Americans for Job Security has spent at least $160,000 on ads opposing Clausing. People for Wisconsin's Future has spent at least $100,000 supporting Clausing, although some reports indicate the scope of the group's activity may be much larger. It also is known that a group led by Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce is running issue ads attacking Clausing, as is Wisconsin Right to Life. However, there is limited information about the exact nature of those campaigns and no reliable estimate of their cost.

"We know special interests have spent over a million dollars on this race already, but there's every reason to believe that's just the tip of the iceberg," McCabe said. "There are groups operating in the shadows that are spending hundreds of thousands more that will never be reported. This election will be remembered as the one that drove the final nails in the coffin of clean and open government in Wisconsin."

Update November 1, 2005:

Madison - Republican challenger Sheila Harsdorf has spent nearly $300,000 so far this year in her bid to win the hotly contested 10th Senate District seat, bringing total spending in the race to at least $1.6 million, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign reported.

In her report received by the Elections Board today, Harsdorf reported year-to-date spending of $298,592. Heading into the final days of campaigning before the November 7 election, Harsdorf reported cash on hand of $23,663. As reported in an earlier news release, Democratic incumbent Alice Clausing reported spending $188,577 so far this year. Clausing's report shows $85,315 cash on hand. The combined spending the candidates have done and the cash they have on hand heading into the homestretch of the campaign totals $596,147.

The candidates' spending to date of $487,169 and independent spending by special interest groups of at least $1,149,679 brings overall spending in the race so far to at least $1,636,848.

The figure for special interest groups' independent electioneering activity is only a partial accounting of the special interest activity in the race, because it is based on reported independent expenditures supporting or opposing the two candidates as well as known issue ad activity. Notably, it does not include a figure for any spending being done by Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce.

10th District spending already far surpasses the previous spending record set in 1998. In the 27th District race, which pitted Democrat Jon Erpenbach against Republican Nancy Mistele, the combined spending by the candidates and special interest groups totaled just over $1.1 million.

"Because so much is being spent in this race by groups that will never report their activity, it's probably safe to say spending in the 10th District has already surpassed $2 million. There's no telling how much will be spent by the time the last check is written and the last ad is bought," WDC executive director Mike McCabe said.