REGIONAL— DFLer Joe Radinovich collected an astonishing $1.25 million in campaign contributions in the third quarter, according to a spending report filed with the Federal Elections Commission this week. According to the DFL, Radinovich’s third -quarter fundraising haul, by itself, surpasses Rick Nolan’s fundraising for the entire 2012 campaign.

Radinovich’s fundraising also outpaced his GOP challenger, Pete Stauber, who reportedly collected $546,000 during the same three-month period, which runs from July 1-Sept. 30.

But the money raised by the two congressional campaigns is largely being drowned out by a flood of outside dark money that has poured into the district, the vast majority of it to finance attack ads targeting Radinovich.

As of this week, a super PAC known as the Congressional Leadership Fund had already spent just shy of $4 million in attack ads that the fact-checking website, PolitiFact, has labeled “mostly false.”

The Congressional Leadership Fund is a political action committee that has raised $100 million to support GOP candidates. Billionaire casino magnate Sheldon Adelson and affiliated groups have provided nearly a third of the CLF’s funds, while entities like Koch Industries and private military contractors such as the Blackstone Group, have contributed millions of additional dollars.

Additionally, the America First Political Action Committee, had poured at least $2 million into attack ads against Radinovich. The PAC was investigated earlier this year by NBC’s business affiliate CNBC for its ties to the Trump White House. Its funders include a long list of wealthy corporate executives and CEOs.

As Stauber has benefitted from the corporate spending spree, Radinovich spokesperson Bennett Smith the 32-year-old DFLer has shunned corporate gifts and has chosen to go it alone with more than 8,000 small, individual contributions given in the third quarter.

He has, however, accepted money from political action committees representing labor groups such as the IBEW.

“Grassroots fundraising continues to be the primary focus of Radinovich’s fundraising efforts,” a campaign statement said. “Radinovich has refused to accept any contributions from corporate PACs like big pharmaceutical companies, unlike his opponent who has cashed in on tens of thousands of dollars of special interest money.”

Radinovich has also brought in big name endorsements in recent weeks.

The United Steelworkers Union endorsed him at their rally in Virginia earlier this month. Outgoing Congressman Rick Nolan also threw his support behind Radinovich at the same rally.

Former President Barack Obama has put his support behind the candidate and said Radinovich would help restore dignity to the government.

While key endorsements and a record fundraising haul from small donors appeared to give Radinovich momentum heading into the final weeks of the campaign, a stunning New York Times poll last weekend (see separate story page 1) suggested that the onslaught of attacks on Radinovich had affected the campaign, leaving Stauber with a clear edge. The Times later acknowledged that the poll may have had structural flaws that could have affected its accuracy.

“We have always known this race would go down to the wire,” Smith said in a statement. “Republicans have attempted to buy Pete Stauber a seat in Congress with corporate special interest money, but Joe Radinovich and his positive message can’t be stopped by Pete’s special interests.”