WASHINGTON, D.C. (WZMQ 19 News) — According to the Cook Political Report, the race for Michigan’s open U.S. seat is a toss-up.
Democrat Elissa Slotkin and Republican Mike Rogers are vying for the open seat left vacant by Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D- MI) who is retiring at the end of this term after decades in public service.
According to the nonpartisan, non-profit research group, OpenSecrets, $71,175,550 have been spent by candidates and outside groups on the Senate race, roughly $27 million by Republicans and Republican affiliated groups and $43 million by Democrats and Democrat affiliated groups.
As for the individual candidates, Democrat Elissa Slotkin has raised just under $24 million and spent $15,057,975
Republican Mike Rogers has raised over $5 million and spent about $3 million. Total outside spending in the race amounts to roughly $50 million dollars and experts say there’s a reason for that.
“The Senate is on a knife edge. You have to realize that the Democrats are going to lose West Virginia, which is going to make it 50-50. Any one seat that the Republicans can take is going to give them control of the chamber,” said Dr. Todd Belt, Professor and Director of the Political Management Master’s Program at George Washington University.
In other key swing states, the races are even more expensive. In Pennsylvania, more than $150 million have been spent between incumbent Democratic Senator Bob Casey, Republican challenger Dave McCormick and outside groups, so far. Based off recent predictions, the total spending in the PA Senate race is expected to exceed $300 million by Election Day.
When candidate spending and spending by outside groups are combined, Pennsylvania’s Senate race is the second most expensive in the country, behind Ohio. Both Pennsylvania and Ohio are two key seats Republicans are looking to flip for control of the upper chamber.
“If they can get Pennsylvania, Ohio or Montana, those are the key ones they’re looking at, they can take the chamber. Conversely, the Democrats have to defend all three. So the money is going into those three states. And it’s coming not just from the candidates, not just from the parties, but, of course, from the Super PACs and independent expenditure groups,” said Belt.
During such an unpredictable election year, Belt says one thing is for certain.
“People are going to get sick of seeing these commercials,” said Belt.
