RELATED: Issue 2 trouncing won’t end debate over high drug prices

Ohio Taxpayers for Lower Drug Prices, supporters of the issue that would have capped what the state of Ohio pays for prescription drugs at the lowest price paid by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, raised and spent and additional $1.5 million during the final days of the campaign.

In total, the Yes on 2 campaign spent about $17.5 million.

The ballot issue was defeated by voters by a margin of 79 to 21 percent.

The previous record for spending on a ballot issue was just shy of $73 million spent during the 2009 battle over casinos in Ohio. The winning side of that issue outspent opponents $47.2 million to $25.7 million.