Millions pour into Reid, Angle race from outside

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Outside interest groups have poured nearly $5.2 million in the race between Democratic Sen. Harry Reid and Republican Sharron Angle in recent days, and are expected to spend millions more on advertising before the Nov. 2 election.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the expenditures between Oct. 8 and Oct. 21 brought total outside spending in the race to $13.5 million.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that the spending comes on top of the $42 million that Reid and Angle had spent through Oct. 15.

"Living in Nevada, you probably can't turn on the TV or listen to the radio without hearing an advertisement about the Senate race from someone or some group," said Dave Levinthal, a spokesman for the nonpartisan center.

The center says only two Senate races, in Pennsylvania and Colorado, have drawn more independent expenditures.

Pro-Republican groups overall have spent $7.8 million in Nevada, while pro-Democratic groups have spent $4 million.

Independent expenditures since Oct. 8 have been about evenly split between Reid and Angle.

The Review-Journal reports the largest independent expenditure has been made by Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies, a conservative political group formed by Republican political operatives Karl Rove and Edward W. Gillespie.

The group plunked down more than $1.1 million for television advertising between Oct. 8 and Oct. 21, according to the center.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee bought $911,768 for television ads during the same two-week stretch.

Reid overall has raised $22.9 million so far and spent $23.2 million. Angle has collected $21.7 million so far and spent $18.7 million.

Most campaign contributions have come from outside Nevada.