CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - In a story May 5 about congressional fundraising, The Associated Press reported erroneously that Rep. David McKinley has nearly $1 million in his campaign account. He has nearly $1.4 million.
A corrected version of the story is below:
Mooney outspends GOP field in 2nd District race
Alex Mooney outspends GOP field in West Virginia’s crowded 2nd Congressional District field
By JONATHAN MATTISE
Associated Press
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Republican candidate Alex Mooney has outspent a crowded primary election field vying for West Virginia’s lone open congressional seat.
Mooney, a former state GOP chairman in Maryland, shelled out about $414,400 through April 23 for his primary bid in West Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District. Seven Republicans and two Democrats are competing for the seat currently filled by U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican vacating her post to run for U.S. Senate.
Berkeley Springs pharmacist Ken Reed, the next highest GOP spender, reported almost $288,000 in costs before the May 13 primary. Charlotte Lane, a former commissioner of the U.S. International Trade Commission and the state Public Service Commission, wasn’t far behind after spending about $256,700.
Mooney largely relied on out-of-state checks, with only about $12,700 of his individual donations coming from West Virginia. States like Maryland and Virginia donated heavily to the Eastern Panhandle resident.
The Democratic primary in the 2nd District has been less competitive. Former state Democratic Party chairman Nick Casey is considered the favorite over state Delegate Meshea Poore, who only raised about $50,500.
If Casey wins the primary, he will have about $630,000 in the bank to take on the GOP primary winner in November. His cash includes a $200,000 loan.
Reed, who leaned on a $525,000 loan, has the most cash on hand on the Republican side with $275,000.
The 2nd District stretches more than 300 miles from the Ohio River on the state’s western border to the fast-growing Eastern Panhandle.
More attention, however, is on West Virginia’s 3rd Congressional District, where 19th-term Democratic incumbent Nick Rahall will likely face GOP state senator Evan Jenkins.
Rahall has spent almost $563,000 and still has $942,000 in his account for the November matchup. Rahall faces little opposition from his primary opponent, Richard Ojeda, who has spent about $7,300 and has a negative cash balance of $4,200.
Jenkins, who is unopposed in the primary, has spent more than $173,000 and maintains $439,000 in cash.
Outside groups, meanwhile, have vastly outspent the candidates by buying TV ads in the race. The conservative nonprofit Americans for Prosperity has spent about $750,000, while the liberal House Majority PAC has bought about $625,000 in ads, representatives of the organizations said.
In West Virginia’s highest-profile race, Capito has maintained a steep money edge over her likely Democratic competition for the U.S. Senate, Secretary of State Natalie Tennant. With $4.3 million on hand, Capito has almost four times more campaign cash than Tennant.
Both candidates are expected to win their primaries easily.
In the 1st Congressional District, U.S. Rep. David McKinley has nearly $1.4 million in the bank to defend his seat against Glen Gainer, the Democratic state auditor. Gainer has about $156,000 in cash. Neither candidate faces primary competition.
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