CNN

Mitt Romney has spent more than $10 million on campaign television ads in the race for the GOP presidential nomination.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney has spent $10.2 million on television advertising this year, a record amount at this point in a presidential campaign, according to new data provided to CNN.

He is spending more than $85,000 a day - $600,000 last week alone - on campaign commercials, according to TNSMI/Campaign Media Analysis Group, CNN’s consultant on political television advertising spending. Romney’s presidential campaign commercials have aired more than 14,500 times. The closest Republican to Romney in ad spending is Arizona Sen. John McCain, who has aired more than $300,000 worth of campaign ads.

In the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama is leading the way with about $3.9 million spent on campaign commercials.

“Advertising is still by and large a one man band, with Romney leading the way with his record pace,” said Evan Tracey, CMAG’s chief operating officer.

The former Massachusetts governor has concentrated his ad buys in the first three early voting states of Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina. But in recent months Romney has also targeted Florida – the largest state to vote before “Super Tuesday” on February 5. His commercials largely have been used to tout his conservative credentials and highlight his experience as a successful businessman and governor.

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– CNN Political Editor Mark Preston