With the Maine Clean Elections act and contribution limits on privately financed legislative campaigns, the most interesting place to look at legislative race spending is at the independent expenditure reports, filed with the Maine Ethics Commission.

The Maine Democratic and Republican parties, and campaign committees for the Senate Republicans and Democrats, are the biggest third party spenders. They have the following grand totals of campaign contributions as of Sunday evening:

• $253,084 Maine Democratic Party
• $98,765 Maine Republican Party
• $72,816 Senate Democratic Campaign Committee
• $6,067 Maine Senate Republican Committee

Outside groups are kicking in as well. These organizations have kicked in the following grand totals this fall:

• $13,001 Maine Prosperity PAC
• $8,569 Build Maine PAC
• $5,320 Maine Conservation Voters Action Fund
• $1,790 Maine People’s Alliance
• $1,659 Equality Maine PAC
• $578 Kennebunk Democratic Committee
• $490 Maine Friends of Animals
• $406 League of Young Voters PAC
• $238 Cummings Leadership Fund

Click here for a list of state Senate races that are benefitting the most from these groups, and here for a list of state House races.