MORGANTOWN – In the race to succeed Rep. Alex Mooney in the state’s Second Congressional District, Republican State Treasure Riley Moore held a significant financial advantage over Democratic contender Steven Wendelin.
Their July Quarterly FEC reports, covering April-June, showed Moore’s campaign entering the third quarter – July-September – with $240,606.85 cash on hand, compared to Wendelin’s $4,441.57.
Moore won a five-way GOP primary with a hefty plurality – 45.01% of the votes.
For the second quarter, he received $65,140.75 in individual contributions plus $68,000 from PACs. His operating expenditures were $298,397.38, leaving the $240,606.85 cash on hand.
Year-to-date, Moore received $50,800 in transfers from other committees, $1,101,856.19 in total contributions and had operating expenditures of $894,674.34.
His top six states for contributions were West Virginia, $357,389.61; Ohio, $51,469.50; Pennsylvania, $46,250; Virginia, $40,149; Texas, $19,741.50; Kentucky, $8,600.
Moore was the only candidate to have outside groups also support his campaign. Five outside groups reported independent expenditures totaling $1,078,573.62.
Wendelin is a retired U.S. Navy officer living in Hardy County. He had no primary opponent. For the second quarter he received contributions of $6,390 plus $200 in PAC funds,
He had operating expenditures of $4,939.61 leaving his cash on hand at $4,441.57.
Year-to-date his total contributions were $19,011.25 and his operating expenditures were $4,569.68.
He was the only candidate who received more contributions from other states than from his home state. His top six states were: California, $4,750; Maryland, $4,005; West Virginia, $2,700; New York, $2,000; Connecticut, $1,000; Virginia, $250.
Other candidates
Here’s a look at the other GOP candidates.
Taking second place with a distant 20.27% was Joe Early, of Bridgeport, a retired Army first sergeant who now works in cybersecurity engineering.
Year-to-date, Early had $126,741.49 in contributions, including $12,849.82 from himself to his campaign. He also lent his campaign $80,000.
He had total operating expenditures of $169,478.43, leaving $43,216.42 cash on hand.
His top six states were: West Virginia, $20,482.61; Texas, $3,116.59; New Mexico, $2,000; Michigan, $1,602; California, $1,000; Idaho $900.
Chris “Mookie” Walker is a retired Air Force brigadier general from Martinsburg. Year-to-date he spent nearly as much as Moore but finished with just 14.55% of the votes.
His total contributions were $768,942.29 plus $6,000 from PACs. He donated $2,484.08 to his campaign and lent it $70,000.
His operating expenditures were $808,653.02 (compared to Moore’s $894,674.34) leaving cash on hand of $10,576.22.
His top six states: West Virginia, $36,727.42; Texas, $26,831.56; Virginia, $17,677.33; Florida, $17,607.65; California, $14,000.28; Georgia, $9,303.57.
Nate Cain, of Hedgesville, also an Army veteran working in cybersecurity engineering, finished not far behind Walker, with 13.04%, but spent far less.
Year-to-date he had contributions of $130,549.46, including $38,164.23 from himself, plus transfers form other committees of $950.
He had operating expenditures of $123,379.25 and transferred $250 to another committee, to close out his account with $0 cash on hand.
His top six states: West Virginia, $30,905.64; Oregon, $5,500; California, $5,289.10; Florida, $4,420; Maryland, $3,000; Virginia, $2,370.
Alex Gaaserud, of Elkins, took the fifth spot with 7.13%. He is a businessman working in the e-commerce third party logistics industry.
His campaign was mostly self-funded, with contributions of $3,900, PAC funds of $1,500 and a loan from himself of $6,850.
His operating expenditures were $12,229.14, leaving cash on hand of $20.86. He had contributions from just one other state, Virginia, $500.
Senate races spending
We recently reported on the U.S. Senate race campaign finances, where Gov. Jim Justice won the GOP primary against Rep. Alex Mooney to face Democrat Glenn Elliott.
The campaigns of Justice and Mooney both saw outside groups spend money for and against them.
Two Club for Growth committees spent $2,106,396.52 to oppose Justice. Five groups spent $3,711,024.13 to support him.
One group opposed Mooney, spending $706,336,87. Six committees supported him, spending $1,241,037.79.
Email: dbeard@dominionpost.com
