By Charlotte Foot
With six days until the US presidential election, the extent of both candidates’ campaign spending has emerged.
In the last week, the importance of securing swing state votes has become increasingly apparent.
Mitt Romney and Republican action groups are investing vast amounts of money into campaigning in the traditionally Democratic states of Minnesota and Pennsylvania.
Republican-leaning groups – including American Crossroads and Restore Our Future – are fuelling at least $3.9 million into advertising in Pennsylvania this week. This figure does not include spending by Romney’s campaign, which began pouring money in television adverts in the state for the first time on Monday.
Action groups have also appeared on air in recent days in an attempt to narrow Barack Obama’s advantage. The president’s aides have said his campaign is spending $625,000 in Pennsylvania this week.
Further west in Minnesota, Republican groups – such as the American Future Fund and Americans for Job Security – are fuelling $615,000 into television campaigning this week. In contrast, Romney’s own campaign spent $29,000 in the state last week.
Obama’s campaign has allocated $210,000 for advertising in Minnesota this week.
Despite Romney and Republican groups spending over triple the amount that Obama is in Minnesota, Romney is still behind the president in the state according to opinion polls.