AUGUSTA — A Maine group seeking to boost public funding for campaigns says that contributions from large donors in this year’s governor’s race have skyrocketed since 2010.

An analysis from Maine Citizens for Clean Elections says that Republican Gov. Paul LePage, Democrat Mike Michaud and independent Eliot Cutler have raised a total of $4.5 million from donors giving at least $500.

The group says that’s up from $1.18 million from large donors over the course of the 2010 election cycle.

Program Director BJ McCollister says candidates are “increasingly relying on big-money donors to fund their campaigns at the expense of everyday Maine voters.”

The group attributes the increase in part to changes in the contribution limits allowing candidates to collect up to $3,000 per donor over the election cycle.