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Utah’s fourth district race total spending tops $10 Million

Posted at 9:48 PM, Oct 31, 2012
and last updated 2012-11-01 01:31:27-04

It's now a $10 million race.

That's the amount that has been spent in the race for Utah's new 4th Congressional District.

Current 2nd District Congressman Jim Matheson and Saratoga Springs Mayor Mia Love are facing off in the race. That makes a congressional seat as expensive as a private jet or even a private island. Well over half of the money has come from Super PACs, the outside groups which can receive donations in unlimited sums.

Both candidates say they wish the system worked differently.

"These are groups coming in from the outside trying to influence voters. The ones that are about me are all wrong, all of them are wrong," said Love.

Matheson said, "I think we're all troubled by the amount of money in politics these days, and I think the campaigns ought to be discussions between the candidates and the voters, and when all these third parties come in it crowds out the echo chamber between the candidates and the voters."

While Matheson and Love have set a Utah record, they're far from the most expensive race nationally. That distinction goes to Florida's 18th District. That's just north of West Palm Beach. So far spending there totals more than $22.5 million.