Hawaii's election spending has hit a new record this cycle, and it's bad news for anyone hoping for a level playing field since one union is behind most of it.

• The Carpenters Union political action committee and a linked fund, Rise Together Hawaii, have together spent more than the rest of the state's campaigns combined.
• The union-backed PAC spent nearly $2 million supporting Maui mayoral candidate Yuki Sugimura and over $500,000 on county council races, prompting incumbent Mayor Richard Bissen to publicly push back.
• The same money machine has poured about $2 million into promoting a statewide ballot question (Constitutional Amendment 2) that would allow bond financing for big development and infrastructure projects, turning an obscure measure into a major campaign issue.
• Overall the PAC has spent over $10 million this election season, with Rise Together separately spending another $2.8 million and still going.
• The union defends the spending, saying it backs candidates who will tackle housing and protect labor rights, and says it has no apologies to make.

Outlook: With a week left before the election, expect the spending and ad blitz to keep intensifying, and growing voter scrutiny over how much influence one union is buying.