HomePROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Independent Lincoln D. Chafee outspent Democrat Frank T. Caprio in the run-up to next Tuesday's election of Rhode Island's next governor, according to reports filed this week with the state Board of Elections.
From the three-week span between Oct. 5 to Oct. 25, Chafee spent a total of $949,122 in his bid to win the office that Republican Governor Carcieri is barred by term-limits from seeking again.
Caprio spent $806,723 on his own last-lap drive, although he also got a boost with the Democratic Governors Association spending more than $1.033 million in an attempt to buoy his candidacy by running down "Chafee's tax plan.''
Republican John Robitaille spent $333,410, and he got a boost from Republican Governors Association, which spent $475,224.
Moderate Party founder Ken Block spent $128,364.
Heading into the final days of the campaign, Democrat Caprio had only $323,461 left in his campaign account for a last burst of TV advertising, after raising more than $115,500 in the first three weeks of October.
Chafee had $126,100 left, after raising $81,303 and funneling another $800,000 of his own money in recent weeks into his campaign for the job his father -- the late John H. Chafee -- held in the 1960s.
Robitaille had $16,421 left after raising $28,860 and blowing through most of the $56,846 he received in public matching funds for his campaign.
Block had $27,546 left after raising $28,073 and pumping another $30,000 of his personal money into his campaign.
Chafee has poured more family money into his campaign than any other candidate for governor this election season, a total of $1.610 million so far.
Block has put $429,000 into his campaign, and Robitaille, $50,000.
Caprio's campaign report reflects an earlier $50,250 personal loan.
Democrat Caprio drew his last lap financial support from contributors ranging from former Lt. Gov. Charles J. Fogarty and former House Speaker William J. Murphy, to the sons of former Republican Governor Edward D. DiPrete, and independent Chafee drew from a coterie of one-time Republican luminaries that includes former state treasurer Nancy Mayer and former GOP chairman John Holmes.
