Political and issue advocacy television advertising is on pace to shatter the mid-term election spending record set in 2002 and possibly surpass the record set in 2004. From Jan. 1 – Aug. 13, 2006, $311 mln has been spent on local television so far by the candidates, the political parties, as well as interest groups campaigning within the nation’s gubernatorial, congressional, and senatorial elections – a 150% increase over the amount spent during the same period in 2002.