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Manchin’s campaign coffers grow as Justice, Mooney raise money

CHARLESTON — It’s not clear whether U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin will run for a third term, but he is sitting on more than $10 million to fend off Republican challengers.

Meanwhile, Gov. Jim Justice raised nearly $1 million in two months and the war chest for Rep Alex Mooney, R-2nd, and supporting political organizations has grown as the two vie for the GOP nomination for Senate in 2024.

Saturday was the deadline for federal candidates and committees to file July quarterly campaign finance reports covering fundraising for the second-quarter period between April and the end of June.

According to his report, Manchin raised $396,486 for the quarter. With transfers from other authorized committees and interest, Manchin’s total receipts for the quarter were more than $1.2 million, with nearly $9.1 million raised election year-to-date.

After spending more than $1.8 million to date, that leaves Manchin with more than $10.7 million in cash-on-hand. Manchin’s political action committee, Country Roads PAC, raised $397,368 during the quarter and has more than $2.2 million in cash-on-hand.

Having served for more than 13 years in the Senate, Manchin is up for his third six-year term in 2024, but has yet to announce a re-election effort. Speculation is Manchin is considering a third-party presidential run through No Labels.

Manchin is headlining an event this week for the centrist group in New Hampshire. The campaign provided no comment on his fundraising, but Manchin has said he will announce his political plans before the end of 2023.

Justice, who announced at the end of April he’ll run for the Senate, raised $935,036 in the final two months of the quarter. After spending $126,271 during the quarter, Justice has $808,765 in cash-on-hand and $119,394 in outstanding debts and obligations.

“Gov. Justice has received tremendous support from West Virginians and those who have confidence in his leadership and conservative record of achievements in West Virginia,” said Roman Stauffer, campaign manager for Jim Justice for U.S. Senate. “In only 64 days, with no prior federal fundraising experience, Gov. Justice raised nearly $1 million and continues to be the strongest Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in West Virginia.”

Mooney, who announced his Senate candidacy in 2022 shortly after winning a fifth term representing the 2nd Congressional District, raised $375,965 for the quarter and nearly $1.1 million for the election year-to-date. With $35,210 in transfers from other authorized committees, Mooney’s total receipts for the quarter were $411,193. After spending $469,721 to date, Mooney has more than $1.5 million in cash-on-hand.

Team Mooney, a joint fundraising committee between the Mooney for Senate campaign, Americans for Legislating Excellence PAC and the Morgan County Republican Executive Committee, raised $185,315 during the quarter and $424,728 election year-to-date.

“Make no mistake, Joe Biden and Senate Democrats will spend millions trying to save Joe Manchin’s career,” said John Findlay, Mooney’s campaign manager. “However, the strong support from voters across West Virginia will help proven conservative Alex X. Mooney defeat both liberal Jim Justice and his ally Manchin in 2024.”

Club for Growth Action, the fundraising arm of the conservative Club Growth, also announced last week that the group with the Protect Freedom PAC raised more than $13.5 million during the quarter to support Mooney. Club for Growth previously committed $10 million toward supporting Mooney, whom it also backed for Congress in the 2022 Republican primary that pitted Mooney against former 1st District Rep. David McKinley.

“The more West Virginia voters learn about Jim Justice, Mitch McConnell’s chosen candidate, the clearer it becomes that he is a big government RINO,” said David McIntosh, president of Club for Growth Action. “Alex Mooney has a strong track record of pushing back on Joe Biden’s radical policy agenda in Washington and is the only candidate in the race that is serious about promoting fiscal responsibility.”

Two other Republicans are in the Senate race.

Monongalia County resident Chris Rose, an electrician and former coal miner, raised $5,725 for the quarter, with approximately one-fifth of his donations coming from himself, leaving him with $4,477 in cash-on-hand. No reports were available for Mercer County resident Zane Lawhorn.

Steven Allen Adams can be reached at sadams@newsandsentinel.com.

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