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RETIREES SPEND HUGE ON REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES: Quick — which “industry” has spent the most on the 2010 midterm elections? A cool $51 million from health professionals? Chump change. Maybe the $61 million from big banks? Not even close. Retired individuals have already spent more than $98 million on federal elections this cycle.

So far, 55 percent of all contributions from retirees this cycle have gone to Republicans, and candidates from the GOP are also bringing the vast majority of big ticket donations from retired individuals. Florida U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio, a Republican, has raked in more than $1 million from retirees during his pricey run for office, and eight of the top 10 recipients of funding from retirees are Rubio’s fellow Republicans. Rubio’s Republican-turned-independent opponent, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, is No. 8 on the list, bringing in more than $577,000 from retired individuals, and Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) ranks No. 7 after accumulating more than $632,000 for the cycle from retirees.

Overall, it appears the 2010 cycle will be a record-breaking year for retirees contributing to federal candidates, as this cycle’s donors have already shattered the 2002 midterm election cycle’s total of $74 million. This cycle will almost surely eclipse the $120 million retired individuals shelled out in 2006.

ARE ‘SAFE’ DEMOCRATS REALLY IN THE CLEAR? In the final month before ballots are cast nationwide this November, GOP strategists are upping their ambitions as Democrats dig in their heels in an attempt to withstand the last-minute onslaught of new Republican challenges.

The New York Times reports that the National Republican Congressional Committee has shelled out funding for at least 10 new, supposedly “relatively safe” Democratic U.S. House races across the country. The new donations come in the midst of a steady stream of donations to the NRCC from deep-pocketed groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

At the same time, Democrats are re-shuffling funds to fortify war chests for candidates in important districts in California, New York, Kentucky and Massachusetts while pulling advertising in some races now written off as a lost cause. So far, Republican party committees have out-raised their Democratic counterparts $366 million to $362 million.

Currently, the New York Times projects 108 House seats in play this cycle, with 168 solid Republican seats and 159 solid Democrat seats.

THE LONG WEEKEND’S TOP OUTSIDE SPENDER IS … the National Republican Congressional Committee, which spent more than $7.8 million on independent expenditures between Friday and Monday. That dwarfs the $628,000 spent by runner-up American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees during the same time period.

Other groups spending more than $400,000 include American Crossroads, National Right to Life and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

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Center for Responsive Politics researcher Spencer MacColl and reporter Evan Mackinder contributed to this report.



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