IEs, or independent expenditures, are ramping up in the 11th Congressional District campaign, another sign of the intense interest political activists have in either keeping or taking the seat.

Nearly $580,000 was been spent in support of or in opposition to Democratic Rep. Jerry McNerney and GOP nominee David Harmer between Sept. 1 and Monday on mailers, TV ads and other campaign-related costs.

In addition, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a private nonprofit group, has spent $262,268 in support of Harmer, according to PublicCitizen.org, a campaign finance watchdog site. Not a PAC, the chamber is putting out “electioneering communications, known informally as “issue ads,” are messages broadcast within 60 days of a general election or 30 days of a primary that mention a candidate for federal office but stop short of advocating a vote for or against the candidate,” according to PublicCitizen.org.

IEs cannot be coordinated with the candidate and can come from a variety of political action committees. Here is what has been spent, per the Federal Election Commission’s tally of independent expenditures:

• Oppose Harmer/Support McNerney – $219,098
• Support Harmer/Oppose McNerney  – $359,023
• Total: $578,122.16

Here’s a breakdown per expenditure and position:

I’ve posted a sample of one of the IE mailers below. This came from the Humane Society’s political action fund, and it advocates for the re-election of McNerney.