US Senate race in Michigan drew $56M in spending

The race for U.S. Senate in Michigan drew more than $56 million in spending from the campaigns and outside supporters.

Gary Peters, a third-term House member representing parts of Detroit and the suburbs, defeated Republican Terri Lynn Land to fill the seat being vacated by Democratic Sen. Carl Levin.

The Detroit Free Press says its analysis of recently filed campaign finance reports shows that Peters’ campaign spent $9.9 million for the Nov. 4 election in addition to $20.3 million spent by independent sources supporting him.

Peters’ top outside supporters included NextGen Climate Action at $3.8 million, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee at $3.7 million and the Senate Majority PAC at $3.5 million.

Campaign finance reports show Land’s campaign spent $11.1 million in addition to $15.3 million spent by her outside supporters. Among Land’s top outside supporters were the Ending Spending Action Fund at $5.4 million and Americans for Prosperity at $5.3 million.

Land contributed $3.3 million to her own campaign and loaned herself another $250,000.

The Free Press based its analysis on campaign and independent expenditure reports filed to the Federal Election Commission as well as unreported media buys by outside spenders reported by the Michigan Campaign Finance Center watchdog group.