Labor spending on state races more than doubled since the 2004 elections.

According to campaign finance reports, six unions spent about $2.2 million on contributions and independent expenditures for campaigns for state office in 2004.

That's less than half the $4.7 million spent this year.

Here's a breakdown:

Service Employees International Union: $1.5 million

N.C. Association of Educators: $272,803

International Brotherhood of Teamsters: $198,150

National Education Association: $149,000

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers: $40,000

State Employees Association of N.C.: $35,059

N.C. chapter of the AFL-CIO: $8,000

UNITE HERE: $5,000

United Auto Workers: $600

How much did labor groups spend in 2008?

We're still working through the campaign finance reports, but here are the numbers Dome has collected so far on spending in state races by unions and employee associations:

National Education Association: $1,935,703

Service Employees International Union: $1,810,569

International Brotherhood of Teamsters: $334,117

N.C. Association of Educators: $267,230

State Employees Association of N.C.: $194,800

United Food and Commercial Workers Union: $116,500

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers: $41,500

Communications Workers of America: $18,750

UNITE HERE: $16,500

United Auto Workers: $9,000

N.C. Chapter of the AFL-CIO: $4,000

That adds up to $4.7 million for the 2008 cycle. However, it does not take into account money given by unions to groups such as the Democratic Governors Association, which also spent heavily here.

It also does not include spending in the U.S. Senate race.

UNITE HERE spent $16,500 in 2008 races.

The retail workers union gave $8,000 apiece to Treasurer-elect Janet Cowell, $4,000 each to lieutenant governor primary candidate Hampton Dellinger and gubernatorial primary candidate Richard Moore and $500 to Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue, all Democrats.

Correction: An earlier version of this post misstated the donations. 

Janet Cowell received $663,403 in contributions by the end of June.

The Democratic nominee for state treasurer received $248,162 in contributions during the second quarter of the year, according to her most recent campaign finance report.

Major donors included N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences executive director Elizabeth Bennett, investment manager Leah Bergman, financial consultant Eugene Cahalan, Crandall Bowles, SAS co-founder John Sall and real estate developer Smedes York.

She also received donations from political action committees for the United Food and Commercial Workers union, UNITE HERE, the AFL-CIO, EMILY's List and the Conservation Council of North Carolina.

She also spent $71,890, leaving her with $197,133 in cash on hand. 

UNITE HERE endorsed Richard Moore today.

At a press conference in his Raleigh headquarters, the state chapter of the labor group announced its endorsement of the Democratic gubernatorial candidate.

UNITE HERE was formed recently by the merger of Unite and the Union of Hotel and Restaurant Employees. It formerly represented workers from the closed Pillowtex factory in Kannapolis.

"We have decided in this election to endorse Richard Moore wholeheartedly," said Southern Regional Director Harris Raynor. He praised Moore's "intelligence expertise" in business and capital as treasurer.

The union belongs to the AFL-CIO coalition of labor groups. After the state chapter decided not to endorse either Moore or Democratic rival Beverly Perdue, its membership was open to make its own endorsements.

Raynor said it will ask Moore to speak to workplaces and will send its workers door-to-door for him.