In three and a half years of congressional campaigns in the north country, candidates and outside groups have spent just under $22 million, not counting a last-minute barrage of spending that will likely send the number ticking up even higher before it's all said and done.

Rep. Bill Owens, D-Plattsburgh, and Republican Matt Doheny face off on Tuesday. There's a lot on the line.

My calculation was based on Federal Elections Commission reports and OpenSecrets.org figures.

I included in my figures the campaign finance accounts for two-time Conservative Party candidate Douglas L. Hoffman and Republican Dede Scozzafava.

Mr. Owens has managed to vanquish his many foes in part because there were so many of them. Having two candidates split the right helped deliver the district, though it may or may not have been decisive.

Mr. Doheny has spent about $3 million of his own cash on his two races.

Of all the subcategories, outside groups spent the most, and they spent the most in 2009 and 2010 (those numbers are combined). Outside groups, like the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee, spent $5.9 million in 2009 and 2010.

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