LEWISTON – The Maine Democratic Party reported on Tuesday spending almost $190,000 on the gubernatorial election, which gave a financial boost to the three publicly-funded candidates in the race.

The party reported spending $70,906 to support Democratic Gov. John Baldacci and $118,783 to attack Republican nominee Chandler Woodcock.

The money triggered matching dollars for the three Maine Clean Election candidates in the race. Woodcock received an additional $189,689 for his campaign.

Independent Barbara Merrill and Green Independent Pat LaMarche each received $70,906. Their matching money is less because the majority of the Democratic Party’s new spending was directed against Woodcock.

More than $140,000 of the total was spent on television advertising.

Maine Clean Election candidates initially received $400,000 to fund their general election campaigns. So far, they have qualified for $721,300 in total financing. The maximum they can receive is $1.2 million.

The election is Nov. 7.

In the final 21 days of the campaign, independent expenditures of more than $250 must be reported to Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices within 24 hours. The commission then makes a determination on how much matching money publicly financed campaigns are entitled to receive.

Phillip NaPier, an independent in the race, is not publicly financed and did not receive matching money.

On Oct. 17, the Maine Democratic Party reported spending $48,424 to back Baldacci.

A number of other independent expenditures have been made in House and Senate districts in the Sun Journal’s readership area.

On Monday, Maine Prosperity PAC reported spending $912 in support of Republican Nancy Bessey in House District 91, which covers parts of Franklin and Oxford counties. The PAC also reported spending $1,833.95 on Oct. 20 to support Gary Knight in House District 81, which covers parts of Androscoggin and Kennebec counties.

Also on Monday, the Maine Senate Republican Victory Fund PAC reported spending $1,071 to support David Hastings in Senate District 13 in Oxford and Cumberland counties.

On Oct. 21, the House Democratic Campaign Committee reported spending $7,644 in support of 34 candidates, including Sheila Desgrosseilliers in District 68, Mark Samson in District 70, both in Androscoggin County; Clark Souther in District 81; Janet Mills in District 89 in Franklin County; Tim Carter in District 91; and Reggie Arsenault in District 93 in Franklin and Oxford counties. The expenditures were between $185 and $371.