Fun Fact, courtesy of Seven Days’ Paul Heintz:

[Phil Scott] has yet to run any television advertising in the general election.

That might come as a surprise to anyone who watches TV in Vermont. We’ve seen a plethora of spots in support of Scott and against Sue Minter.

And every last one of ‘em was bought and paid for by a Washington, D.C.-based SuperPAC, ironically named “A Stronger Vermont.”

ASV, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Republican Governors Association, has spent more than $1.2 million in Vermont. With five weeks to go, it seems certain to exceed $2 million.

That’s a big help to Scott, who continues to significantly trail Minter in fundraising. Their September totals: Minter $374,000, Scott $226,000. The two candidates spent a little over $200,000 apiece.

Meanwhile, ASV spent $700,000 in September — far more than both of them combined. 

The Democratic Governors Association is spending heavily by Vermont standards: $370,000 in September. In a normal year, that’d be a scandalous intrusion of outside money. And if the race is seen as close, the two GA’s will only ramp up their spending.  I don’t think anyone who values Vermont’s unique brand of politics can be happy about this.

Our state’s campaign finance laws are quickly becoming a quaint echo of a bygone age. Big money is here, folks. And here to stay, unless we manage to get Citizens United overturned.