Candidates and caucuses PACs raised nearly $2.1 million, but the rest came from outside spending groups.

In the 103rd District surrounding Traverse City, Democratic incumbent Rep. Betsy Coffia trailed Republican challenger Lisa Trombley by more than $250,000, but when you include caucus PAC spending, the two are neck and neck. Groups such as the Michigan Freedom Network and the League of Conservation Voters have disclosed about $1.4 million in outside spending, bringing the cost of the race to more than $3 million.

Among the donors who gave the maximum amount to the House Democratic Caucus PAC were the New York-based Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and James Jacob, CEO of Ajax Paving Industries in Troy.

For Republicans, peak donors included Nan Van Andel of the powerful West Michigan family, Farmington Hills real estate developer Mickey Shapiro and former U.S. Ambassador to Morocco David T. Fischer.

The true amount spent in the House race is difficult to determine, however, because historically the largest undisclosed source of money in state legislative elections has come from Michigan’s state parties themselves. , which manage separate “administrative” accounts that do not have disclosure requirements.

Gongwer News Service reported last week that Democrats spent or reserved $25.1 million on ads running in 14 races, and nearly half of the spending came from the Michigan Democratic Party, according to ad tracking company AdImpact.

Slotkin maintains his fundraising advantage

Federal candidates were required Thursday to file a pre-election report revealing their finances for the first half of October.

In the race to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, Democrat Elissa Slotkin reported raising an additional $5 million, bringing her election cycle total to $45.8 million, while Republican Mike Rogers raised $985,000 for an election total of $10.4 million.

The Senate race remains close, with Slotkin only a few points ahead in most polls. Rogers also received help from the Great Lakes Conservative Fund, a super political action committee that has spent more than $20 million supporting him so far.

In the highly competitive race for Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, Democrat Curtis Hertel of East Lansing raised about $515,000 in the latest period, compared to $392,000 for Republican Tom Barrett of Charlotte. Hertel is far ahead of Barrett for the election cycle, having raised just over $7 million to Barrett’s $4.6 million.

Outside spending has also flowed into this mid-Michigan race, making it one of the most expensive Congressional contest in the country.

In Michigan’s 8th Congressional District, home to another of the state’s most competitive races, Republican Paul Junge of Grand Blanc reported raising $706,000 while lending his campaign $550,000 of that total, bringing its total self-financing for this election to $4.4 million.