WASHINGTON-Republican Linda McMahon has spent nearly $40 million of her personal fortune so far on her U.S. Senate campaign against Democrat Richard Blumenthal.
In all, McMahon has loaned her campaign $41.5 million so far this election cycle, and she has spent more than $39.5 of that, according to summary pages of McMahon’s 3rd quarter campaign reports released Tuesday evening.
In just the last couple of months, from July 22 through the end of September, the former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO pumped another $20 million into her campaign, the reports show. She spent more than $18 million in that period.
McMahon has vowed to spend “whatever it takes” to win the Senate contest, a vow that has already made the U.S. Senate contest the most expensive race in Connecticut history. Blumenthal and McMahon are competing to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd.
Blumenthal has spent about $4.5 million since he launched his bid, with most of that-$3.1 million-going out the door in the 3rd quarter.
Blumenthal’s most recent report shows that he raised $1.1 million from individual donors from July through September. His campaign got another $480,000 from other political committees, including a joint-fundraising account set up with the Democratic National Committee for last month’s event featuring President Barack Obama. Blumenthal’s report covers July 1 through the end of September; McMahon’s covers a shorter period of time because she had to file a pre-primary report earlier this summer.
Blumenthal’s total take in the 3rd quarter was $2.1 million, but that includes a $500,000 loan he made from his personal funds to the campaign.
He had about $1.1 million in his campaign account heading into the final stretch of the campaign. So far this election cycle, Blumenthal has raised $5.6 million (including the loan).
McMahon had more than $2.5 million cash on hand at the end of September, but she is clearly committed to dipping into her personal bank account again before Nov. 2.
McMahon has been trailing in the most recent polls, although surveys still reflect a close contest.