Group finds record outside spending in Wisconsin state elections

The amount of spending on state elections in Wisconsin isn’t getting any smaller.

A new report from the government watchdog group, Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, shows spending by outside groups in this month’s election in Wisconsin exceeded $61 million.

The group said Republican-backing groups spent $31.3 million and Democratic-supporting group spent $30.1 million.

That’s 68 percent higher than the $36.6 million spent in 2014 elections, and more than three times the $18.9 million spent just eight years ago in the 2010 fall elections.

The biggest chunk came from the Democratic Governors Association at about $13.5 million.

The next biggest dollar amount by an outside group was from the Republican Governors Association, at nearly $11 million.

Both groups were focused on the state race for governor.

Wisconsin Democracy Campaign said nine groups spent more than a $1 million each and most of that went towards television ad spending.