Candidates and independent committees raised more than $49 million last year for Alabama’s U.S. Senate special election, won by Democrat Doug Jones.

Financial reports posted this week by the Federal Election Commission show Jones with $22.05 million in contributions to his campaign during 2017, compared to $6.15 million for Republican Roy Moore. Those reports include money raised by Jones for the Democratic primary in August and the general election on Dec. 5, and by Moore for the Republican primary, GOP runoff and general election.

In addition, independent committees, known as Super PACs, reported spending $2.37 million in support of Jones and $1.24 million in opposition to him. Super PACs spent $158,464 in support of Moore and $5.19 million in efforts to defeat him.

Super PACs are allowed to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to support and oppose candidates for federal offices. They are required to operate independently of the candidates, without any coordination with the campaigns.

Republican and Democratic Super PACs spent more than $5.19 million in efforts to defeat Moore, who ousted Sen. Luther Strange in a runoff to win the GOP nomination. Former Gov. Robert Bentley last year appointed Strange to the Senate to replace Sen. Jeff Sessions, who was appointed U.S. attorney general.

The Senate Conservatives Fund, a committee led by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, reported spending $2.5 million in opposition to Moore in the primary and runoff. McConnell and President Donald Trump supported Strange in the GOP runoff.

Highway 31, a Super PAC formed to support Jones in the general election, spent $2.62 million in a blitz of broadcast and other ads opposing Moore.

The FEC this week reported the totals raised by the candidates, and it also has posted a breakdown of spending by Super PACs. It is working on lists of contributions by individuals and regular PACs, a spokesman said, and it may post those sometime next week.

Below is an overview of totals listed by the FEC for Jones, Moore and other candidates who lost in the primaries and GOP runoff.

 

DOUG JONES

Contributions to campaign: $22,057,997

 

Committees

Support by independent committees: $2,375,298

Opposition by independent committees: $1,240,360

 

Top spending by independent committees in support

Highway 31: $1,611,758

Black PAC: $613,980

 

Top spending by independent committees in opposition

America First Action Inc.: $1,077,042

National Rifle Association of America Political Victory Fund: $54,772

 

ROY MOORE

Contributions to campaign: $6,149,269

 

Committees

Support by independent committees: $845,538

Opposition by independent committees: $5,194,965

 

Top spending by independent committees in support:

Solution Fund PAC: $163,366

Senate Conservatives Fund: $158,464

 

Top spending by independent committees in opposition:

Highway 31: $2,620,808

Senate Leadership Fund: $2,503,059

 

LUTHER STRANGE

Contributions to campaign: $5,017,127

 

Committees

Support by independent committees: $2,836,506

Opposition by independent committees: $287,536

 

Top spending by independent committees in support:

National Rifle Association of America Political Victory Fund: $1,080,202

Senate Leadership Fund: $733,399

 

Top spending by independent committees in opposition:

Swamp Drainers Foundation: $115,535

Proven Conservative PAC: $67,399

 

Contributions raised by other candidates’ campaigns in the party primaries:

Democrats

Will Boyd; $29,093

Jason Fisher: $47,769

Lewis Michael Hansen: $24,009

Robert Kennedy Jr.: $37,129

 

Republicans:

Randy Brinson: $23,600

Mo Brooks: $1,025,005

Dominic Gentile: $23,706

Trip Pittman: $429,475