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Who is spending "dark money" in the US Senate race?

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According to the Federal Election Commission, outside groups have spent over $80 million on advertisements in the contest between Kelly Ayotte and Maggie Hassan. That independent spending has no limits.

So who are the big spenders in the U.S. Senate race? These five committees are responsible for two-thirds of advertisements:

1. Granite State Solutions

Approximate Spending: $19 million

Granite State Solutions has spent all of its money on advertisements against Maggie Hassan. The PAC is run by Brooks Kochvar, a former campaign manager for Ayotte. Most of the committee's donations have come from the the Senate Leadership Fund, a whole other PAC allied with U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. The largest contributors to the Senate Leadership Fund are casino magnate Sheldon Adelson and his wife Miriam, who together donated $20 million. Adelson also donated $1.5 million specifically to Granite State Solutions.

2. Senate Majority PAC

Approximate Spending: $12 million

The Senate Majority PAC has spent most of its money against Kelly Ayotte. The PAC is spending money to support Democratic U.S. Senate candidates across the country but they've spent almost one-fifth of their money in New Hampshire alone. The committee is mostly funded by individual donors, such as media mogul Fred Eychaner, who donated $6 million. Investor and political activist George Soros and his son, Alexander Soros, donated a total of $2.75 million. There are no large donors from New Hampshire.

3. Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC)

Approximate Spending: $10 million

The DSCC supports Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate across the country. Like the Senate Majority PAC, they've spent most of their New Hampshire money on advertisements against Ayotte. They have a larger database of donors, and no single contribution has exceeded $250,000. There are familiar names on their donor list, however, such as Eychaner and Soros. The largest donor from New Hampshire is state Sen. Martha Fuller Clark, who gave $33,400.

4. National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC)

Approximate Spending: $7 million

The NRSC supports Republican candidates for congress across the U.S. They have bought ads against Maggie Hassan. Like the DSCC, the NRSC does not have any single contributions over $250,000. Well-known contributors include the Adelsons and the Koch brothers. There are no large donors from New Hampshire.

5. Independence USA PAC

Approximate Spending: $6 million

This PAC was founded and almost completely funded by former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The group is known for supporting stricter gun laws. All of its ads in the New Hampshire Senate race oppose Kelly Ayotte.

Do you have an opinion on any of these PACs? Let us know in the comments.

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