When all the independent influence is added up, Republicans have a $21 million advantage so far over Democrats, a review of Federal Election Commission data shows.

Outside spending is through the roof in the 2010 mid-term elections, as non-profits, party committees and labor unions spend tens of millions of dollars trying to sway voters. 

Republican party committees and their right-leaning allies have spent more than $80 million in opposition to Democratic candidates and another $23 million boosting GOP standard bearers. Democratic Party Committees and left-leaning organizations have spent more than $62 million trying to defeat Republicans, and a little less ...

Spending by outside groups trying to influence the mid-term elections increased by a staggering $78 million in the last week, pushing the total spent by non-profits, labor unions and party committees to more than $200 million this cycle. That's an 80 percent increase from 2006, the last mid-term election.

“Super PACs”--groups that register with the FEC their intention to raise unlimited funds and run independent expenditure ads--have spent a total of $21.4 million so far.

In the last four days alone the top five spending organizations disclosed spending $13.8 million and includes a spike in spending ...