Sunlight Foundation

Holden outspent his rival 2-to-1, but the contest was targeted by several special-interest groups, most of which aimed to defeat him. According to the Sunlight Foundation, a government watchdog group, the race was the top recipient of outside money for a House race so far this cycle. More than $572,000 was spent mostly in anti-Holden attacks. He was targeted by the League of Conservation Voters as well the Campaign for Primary Accountability, an anti-incumbent super PAC that targets long-serving Republicans and Democrats.