About seven in 10 California candidates getting the most outside financial help from independent expenditure committees in the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s election ended up winning their races.
The committees pumped more than $50 million worth of TV ads, mailers and other advocacy efforts into legislative and statewide contests on this week’s ballot, according to state filings through Wednesday. The campaign for state superintendent of public instruction featured the most independent expenditures, $15.8 million, followed by Orange County’s 34th Senate District ($4.9 million); Sacramento’s 6th Senate District ($3.7 million); and the East Bay’s 16th Assembly District ($2.9 million).