In these 2014 photos, Massachusetts attorney general candidates Democrat Maura Healey, left, and Republican John Miller, right, speak in Framingham. (AP Photo/MetroWest Daily News, Art Illman)
BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts candidates spent about $33 million during last year’s elections for statewide officers, a jump of about 9 percent from the 2010 total of $30.4 million.
A report by the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance, released yesterday, also found candidates for governor in 2014 reported raising and spending a total of about $20 million.
The 2014 figure was a significant drop from the record set in 2006, the last time there was an open race for governor. During the 2006 campaign, gubernatorial candidates raised and spent a total of more than $40 million.
The winner of the 2014 race, Republican Charlie Baker, spent the most — about $5.6 million — followed by Democrat Martha Coakley, who reported spending $3.9 million. That doesn’t include the nearly $17 million spent by outside groups, including so-called super PACs.
Two statewide races broke campaign spending records.
The three candidates for attorney general spent a total of $4.3 million for an open seat, the highest amount recorded by the political finance office. The seat was open because Coakley, the state’s former attorney general, was running for governor.
The winner, Maura Healy, reported spending $1.4 million; her Democratic primary opponent Warren Tolman spent the most — $1.9 million. The Republican nominee, John Miller, reported $1 million in expenditures.
The five candidates running for treasurer, also an open seat, broke a record by spending $4.6 million — the highest amount reported in a race for Massachusetts treasurer, according to the political finance office. The previous high of $4.2 million was set in 2002.
The eventual 2014 winner, Deborah Goldberg, spent $2.4 million. Goldberg’s Democratic primary challenger Barry Finegold came in second with $1.4 million in spending. Republican Michael Heffernan reported $430,604 in expenditures.
