A group pushing for private school choice has sunk more than $50,000 into a spendy Senate race in West Boise.

All told, the Idaho Federation for Children has spent more than $85,000 in next week’s general election. This same PAC — tied with the American Federation for Children, a pro-school group — spent more than $300,000 in the May GOP primary, and helped to unseat two school choice opponents.

Independent campaign spending is down considerably this fall, but the spending does shine a spotlight on a handful of competitive races — and the hypercharged Proposition 1 election.

Idaho Federation for Children has spent $53,259 campaigning against Sen. Rick Just, D-Boise, and another $3,157 in support of Just’s GOP opponent, former Rep. Codi Galloway. Just and Galloway are squaring off in a rematch in West Boise’s legislative District 15, one of Idaho’s few swing legislative districts.

Idaho Federation for Children has also spent $14,675 campaigning against Mary Shea, a Pocatello Democrat challenging Rep. Dustin Manwaring, R-Pocatello; $11,002 against Kathy Dawes, a Moscow Democrat taking on Rep. Brandon Mitchell, R-Moscow; and $3,157.42 on behalf of District 15 Rep. Dori Healey, R-Boise, who is facing Boise Democrat Shari Baber next week.

In other independent spending thumbnails:

• A trio of Boise groups have spent more than $55,500 supporting Democrats and opposing Republicans in swing districts. This includes $10,110 spent against Boise Republican Annette Tipton, who is opposing District 15 Rep. Steve Berch, D-Boise; $8,888 spent against Galloway; and $8,530 opposing Sen. Dan Foreman, R-Viola, who faces Moscow Democrat Julia Parker next week. Stronger Idaho, Idaho Liberty Defense and Accountable Idaho are all chaired by A.K. Leinhart-Minnick of Boise. Stronger Idaho is aligned with the Idaho Education Association; its PAC contributed $30,000 to Stronger Idaho in September.
• Two other groups — Make Liberty Win, aligned with Young Americans for Liberty, and the Idaho Freedom PAC — have spent $5,542 in the past week on Foreman’s behalf.
• Idaho Chooses Life has spent $6,515 in District 15, campaigning against the Democratic slate of Just, Berch and Baber.

Proposition 1 spending

The initiative to reshape Idaho elections — converting primaries into an open race where the top four candidates advance, and instituting ranked-choice voting in the general election — continues to draw late interest from Idaho donors.

Idaho Rising, a PAC headed by House Speaker Mike Moyle, has put another $50,000 into anti-Prop 1 advertising. The group has spent a total of $321,000 in opposition to Prop 1.

Idaho Falls-based Melaleuca Inc. has spent $12,497 directly against Prop 1. Melaleuca has also been a major donor to Idaho Rising.

Fueled largely by out-of-state donors, Prop 1 supporters have assumed a large fundraising edge heading into the latter stages of the race.

Click here for more elections news, including in-depth stories on key legislative races.