Altogether, $7.2 million has been spent on presidential campaign television ads in Michigan, according to a report released this week by the Michigan Campaign Finance Network. In 2004 $16.5 million had been spent by this point in the election season by and on behalf of George W. Bush and John Kerry.

John McCain’s television campaign, which began May 28, had spent $3.2 million by July 20.

Barack Obama’s television campaign, which began June 20, had spent $2.7 million by July 28.

Continued – The Republican National Committee also spent $963,315 July 6-15 on behalf of McCain.

Republicans spent more than twice as much as Democrats in the Flint tri-cities market, which includes Bay City, Saginaw and Midland — $504,000 vs. $239,950. Included in these figures are ads bought by the McCain-supporting Vets for Freedom and Obama-supporting AFL-CIO.

Vets for Freedom spent $262,000 on McCain ads in Michigan, while the AFL-CIO spent $46,000 on Obama.