LEWISTON – The three publicly financed gubernatorial candidates challenging Gov. John Baldacci have each qualified for just shy of $200,000 in new matching money.

In a report released Tuesday night, the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices calculated that Republican Chandler Woodcock, Green Independent Pat LaMarche and independent Barbara Merrill are entitled to $198,000 each based on the fundraising and spending of Baldacci and other outside groups.

They had previously received matching money of about $50,000 each, bringing their total matching funds to about $250,000.

The three candidates received an initial $400,000 as Maine Clean Election Act candidates to run their general election campaign.

Once Baldacci passed the $404,000 mark on his fundraising or spending, or outside groups entered the campaign with independent expenditures advocating for or against a candidate, the others became eligible for matching dollars.

On Tuesday, the Baldacci campaign reported that it had raised $559,504 for the general election through Oct. 15 and had spent $542,416.

In addition, $91,000 in independent expenditures on Baldacci’s behalf were included in the calculations, giving the three challenges about $650,000 total.

Of that, the Maine Democratic Party reported an independent expenditure of $48,424 on Tuesday to support Baldacci. The party also reported on Oct. 13 spending $34,755 to support Baldacci and $2,132 to oppose Woodcock. The Democratic Party also reported two other pro-Baldacci expenditures of $500 and $7,211.

Beginning Tuesday, any advertisement that mentions a candidate for state office by name – regardless of whether it directly advocates for his or her election or defeat – counts as an independent expenditure and can trigger matching money for clean election candidates.

Reports must be filed with the ethics committee within 24 hours of any independent expenditure. The reports are available online at www.maine.gov/ethics/disclosure/.

The amount of matching money could change daily.