BEVERLY HILLS--California spending for the 2018 election cycle, which includes congressional midterms, a gubernatorial race and a number of statewide initiatives, exceeded $1 billion, campaign data publication California Target Book estimates.

The spending includes more than $287 million on congressional candidates and nearly $20 million alone on a U.S. Senate race between two Democrats, according to Target Book's estimates.

That figure was outdone by more than $366 million spent on statewide initiatives, which included a proposal to allow cities to expand rent control and another that would repeal a 12 cents per-gallon gas tax.

Spending on campaigning for top statewide offices, including governor, exceeded $222 million, the Target Book report found. Expenditures for state legislative seats surpassed $156 million.

Fred Smoller, associate professor of political science at Chapman University in Orange, California, said, "We’ve never seen anything like the money spent on these congressional races."

"The tremendous interest in the election is reflected in the money and in the turnout," he said. (Source: NBC News)

Story Date: November 18, 2018