While the gubernatorial campaigns and the legislative caucuses are attracting most of the money and attention in the current election cycle, legislative candidates in competitive districts are also getting some measure of love from the PAC donors who have weighed in with their first finance reports of 2010.

Five more challengers have filed papers to take on incumbent state legislators. There are now 40 House challengers in 35 districts, with 31 Republicans and nine Democrats. On the senate side, 32 challengers have formed campaign committees, roughly two thirds of them Republicans.