Even in this day of high-spending campaigns, $1 million is a lot of money.

And Minnesota's Future, a pro-Republican group, plans to flood the airwaves with a million dollars worth of television ads in the next twelve days, spokesman Chris Tiedeman said.

The group, which falsely claimed DFL gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton proposed an email tax in one of their previous ad, has been funded through the Republican Governors Association as well as business interests.

(Update, from the AP: "The Democratic Governors Association has also poured substantial money into the race, including $1 million between late September and early October. The DGA has channeled $1.5 million in total through a left-leaning group known as WIN Minnesota.")

Dayton's campaign views the Minnesota Future's $1 million reservation with a bit of alarm.

"We need to stop this blatant attempt in the last days of the campaign to buy the election by distorting Mark's record and distracting voters," Dayton campaign manager Dana Anderson said in a fundraising email. "That's one million dollars of television ads in one week - a relentless barrage never before seen in this state!"

In response, the Dayton campaign released a preemptive ad of its own.

The new Dayton ad says Republicans are trying to "destroy (Dayton) with last minute personal smears and gutter politics."

Here's the ad, which was cut last week:

Here's the transcript:

The Republicans can't beat Mark Dayton on the issues, so they're trying to destroy him with last minute personal smears and gutter politics.
Minnesota deserves better than that. This election should be about your future. About bringing more jobs to Minnesota. Investing in better education. And Mark Dayton is the only candidate who won't raise taxes on the middle class.
Mark Dayton. Governor. For a Better Minnesota.