National Democratic and Republican campaign committees have so far spent more than $11 million on Minnesota’s congressional races this election season, according to the Campaign Finance Institute. The watchdog group has created a new tool to track expenditures on federal campaigns by such national organizations.

In the Third District, the National Republican Congressional Committee has spent $482,109 to support Erik Paulsen (pictured) in the last week — more than on any other race in the country during that time period. This infusion of funds, however, is the first assistance that the NRCC has provided to the campaign.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, meanwhile, has pumped $1,785,802 into the Third District on behalf of Ashwin Madia, or more than on all but one other race in the country. Roughly $600,000 of that money has been spent in the last seven days. In other words, the Democratic campaign committee has outspent its Republican counterpart by more than three-to-one in contesting the open seat.

In the Sixth District, where incumbent Republican Michele Bachmann and Democrat Elwyn Tinklenberg are locked in a close contest, only the DCCC has spent money so far. In the past week, the committee has doled out $482,408 on Tinklenberg’s behalf. The NRCC initially was poised to purchase television time for Bachmann, but pulled the ad buy after her Hardball blow-up.

On the senate side, as anyone who’s turned on a TV during the last month can attest, both parties are spending lavishly. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has far spent $5,100,678 to support challenger Al Franken, including more than $1 million in just the last week. Not to be outdone, the National Republican Senatorial Committee has funneled $4,009,104 into the state to back incumbent Norm Coleman, with nearly $1 million coming in the last seven days.