For first-term Democratic congressman Adam Schiff, two years meant a nearly $20 million difference. In 2000, then-State Senator Schiff raised and spent $4.7 million to defeat Republican incumbent Jim Rogan, who spent $6.8 million to defend his southern California congressional seat. Estimates at the time placed spending by political parties around $5.5 million and spending by outside organizations above $2 million. As a result of the closeness of the race and the stark differences between Schiff and Rogan, the campaign was the most expensive House race in the country's history. Yet, Schiff was easily reelected in 2002 over Republican challenger Jim Scileppi, a perennial local candidate who never posed a serious threat to Schiff. In such a noncompetitive contest, outside independent advocacy groups saw no opportunity to affect the outcome of the race and, as a result, involvement by these groups was minimal. Groups that had poured resources into the district in 2000 spent their money elsewhere in 2002.