Some $50 million in outside money has poured into New Hampshire's Senate race, mostly boosting Sununu. One voter: "It's just all garbage."

New Hampshire's U.S. Senate race between Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas and Republican former Sen. John E. Sununu is one of a handful that could determine partisan control in Washington, and outside dark money groups have plowed some $50 million into it, New Hampshire Public Radio reports. Most of that spending boosts Sununu and attacks Pappas, and as the race has tightened, GOP groups have opened the floodgates. This month No Going Back PAC, a group aligned with President Trump, reserved $10 million in New Hampshire advertising, and it is mailing fliers claiming Pappas "sold out to big insurance" for supporting Obamacare premium supports. The attacks run both ways: voters are also hearing that Sununu spent years "cashing in" on his political connections. Sununu says the flood demands discipline. "You've got to work really hard to keep your message focused to break through," he said. Pappas, who has sponsored legislation requiring greater disclosure of outside spending, said, "It is unacceptable, the way our campaign finance system works." That bill has failed to gain traction due to Republican opposition, NHPR notes. Republican state Rep. Joe Sweeney, who also works at a political advertising firm, was candid: "We are competing for people's attention and we are just trying to get three seconds of their time." Mary Ann Spence of Meredith came home from a week's vacation to more than a dozen political fliers. "I don't even look at them anymore," she said. As a lifelong Democrat, I'll say the fair counterpoint out loud: outside money isn't a one-party habit, and a disclosure law is only worth passing if it binds both sides the same way. Credit where it's due to Sweeney for describing the business plainly. My test is simple: if a group won't sign its name to a mailer, it shouldn't get to make up your mind. Show me a disclosure plan that applies to everybody.