Reps. Howard Berman, left, and Brad Sherman at a candidates forum early this year.

Reps. Howard Berman, left, and Brad Sherman at a candidates forum early this year. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times / October 17, 2012)

Ka-ching! That’s become a familiar sound in the San Fernando Valley slugfest between Reps. Howard Berman and Brad Sherman.

Together, the two Democrats have spent more than $9 million through Sept. 30, according to the latest campaign finance reports.  Democrat Adam Schiff and Republican Jim Rogan set a record for a California House race by spending $11.5 million in their 2000 Glendale-area contest won by Schiff.

Heading into the crucial final weeks before the Nov. 6 election, Sherman had more cash on hand  than Berman -- $1.8 million to about $394,000, according to the reports. But each campaign contended that the other had less money to spend than reflected in the reports because of debts.


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-- Richard Simon, Los Angeles Times