In the special election race in Florida’s 13th Congressional District to replace Rep. C.W. Bill Young, Democratic candidate Alex Sink buried her Republican opponent David Jolly last year in fundraising. The real money story, though, lies with outside groups, which have made determined efforts to even the odds; in the past nine days alone, outside groups have spent $1.1 million on the race, mostly on blistering TV ads and mostly to Jolly’s benefit.

The latest candidate filings in the race show that Sink raised $1.2 million to Jolly’s $401,000 in 2013. Both have undoubtedly raised significantly more since, but the next filings aren’t due until Feb. 27.

Much more frequently filed outside spending reports show that groups have spent $3.5 million in the race, $2.6 million of it to help Jolly.

In the last nine days, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce , reported spending $400,000 on ads against Sink and another $400,000 on ads in support of Jolly. American Action Network also reported spending heavily — $240,000 — to attack Sink since Feb. 2. It’s all mystery money: Both groups are 501(c) tax-exempt nonprofits that don’t disclose their donors.





Additionally, American Crossroads , GOP operative Karl Rove’s super PAC, reported spending $49,000 against Sink, and the party, in the form of the National Republican Congressional Committee , dropped another $78,000.

Although the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has stepped up to attack Jolly, spending $866,000 in the race thus far, the money heavily favors Jolly. And neither the DCCC nor the liberal super PAC Women Vote! , which has thrown in $59,000 attacking Jolly, spent any money in the last week.

That $1.1 million is an enormous sum for nine days, and the race for Florida’s 13th District has already become the most expensive House race of the cycle in terms of outside spending. The $3.5 million total tops what’s been spent in the blistering Kentucky Senate race ($2.8 million) so far, or what was invested by outside groups in Cory Booker’s high-profile run for a New Jersey Senate seat last year ($2.4 million). Only the race in Massachusetts to fill John Kerry’s vacated Senate seat has attracted more outside spending ($9.7 million).

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