Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) has but to announce whether or not or not he’ll be working for reelection in 2024 and hasn’t ruled out a presidential run both. However Manchin raised more cash throughout the second quarter of this yr than the 2 main GOP candidates vying for his seat, including to his main money benefit.
The race is certainly one of three 2024 Senate elections deemed a “toss-up” by the Cook Political Report, together with Ohio and Arizona. In all three elections, the incumbent enjoys a large money benefit over their opponents. Manchin raised about $1.3 million throughout the second quarter of 2023 bringing his money complete to $10.8 million, in accordance with new Federal Election Fee filings reviewed by OpenSecrets. Many of the cash Manchin raised this quarter was transferred from his joint fundraising committee, the Manchin Leadership Fund.
Rep. Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.) introduced his bid for Manchin’s Senate seat one week after Election Day in 2022 when he was elected to his fifth time period in Congress, telling the Associated Press that launching his marketing campaign early would give him extra time to fundraise. From April to June, Mooney raised $411,000, spent $251,000 and ended the quarter with $1.5 million.
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) introduced his run for the Senate seat in April 2023. The governor started the race with empty coffers however raised $935,000 throughout the second quarter of the yr, ending June with $809,000 after spending cash on political consulting, marketing campaign supplies and different working bills. Although he hasn’t dipped into his personal pockets for marketing campaign funds but, Justice is a former billionaire, and his races for governor had been mostly self-funded.
The Republican main is off to an early, aggressive begin, with Mooney creating an attack ad and web site in opposition to Justice in April. At phonyjustice.com, Mooney takes purpose at “Jim Justice’s LIBERAL Document,” together with his support of President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 reduction plan and Justice’s celebration swap. The governor ran as a Democrat throughout the 2016 election, earlier than becoming a Republican lower than a yr into his tenure.
Mooney spent $114,000 on digital advertising over the second quarter, in comparison with the $1,000 Justice reported spending on promoting. Justice has been extra conservative along with his funds, spending about 13.5% of the cash he raised final quarter, whereas Mooney spent 61.2% of his earnings.
Mooney and Justice Each Obtain Monetary Help From Fellow Republicans
13 Republican management PACs contributed $87,500 to Justice’s marketing campaign throughout the second quarter. Senate Republican leaders have thrown their weight behind Justice, with the management PACs of Minority Chief Mitch McConnell(R-Ky.), Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.), Republican Coverage Committee Chairman Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Vice Chair of the Senate Republican Convention Shelley Capito (R-W.Va.) and Chair of the Nationwide Republican Senatorial Committee Steve Daines (R-Mont.) contributing a complete of $40,000 over the second quarter.
Mooney obtained $50,500 from 16 federal marketing campaign committees and management PACs over the identical interval, capturing donations from massive names together with Sen. Ted Cruz(R-Texas) and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).
Mooney obtained an extra $11,000 from conservative PACs within the second quarter, together with the Citizens United Political Victory Fund, Freedom’s Defense Fund and Senate Conservatives Fund, in addition to an extra $5,000 from the Morgan County Republican Party.
Regardless of usually receiving blowback from Democrats for not toeing the celebration line on key legislation and confirmations, Manchin obtained $39,000 from Democratic marketing campaign committees and management PACs over the second quarter. Donors embrace the management PACs of Democratic Sens. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), in addition to the marketing campaign committee of former Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.).
Manchin — the chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources — was the top recipient of contributions from the oil and gas industry in 2022 and has continued to obtain cash from PACs affiliated with the trade, elevating $17,500 from them within the final three months. General, he obtained $141,000 from PACs.
Manchin relied least on contributions from small donors final quarter, with solely 0.33% of his complete contributions coming from donors who gave $200 or much less. Cash from small donors made up 7% of Justice’s contributions and 16.5% of Mooney’s.
An East Carolina University poll of registered voters taken in late Could tasks Justice with a commanding 22-point lead over Manchin in the event that they meet within the normal election whereas projecting a Mooney victory by a single level. The ballot’s Credibility Interval, much like a margin of error, was 3.7 proportion factors.
Manchin stated he received’t determine whether or not he’s working — both for reelection or the presidency — until the end of the year. Final week, Manchin spoke at a New Hampshire town hall sponsored by No Labels, a centrist political group teasing a third-party presidential run in 2024. On the occasion, Manchin spoke out in opposition to political extremism and darkish cash in politics whereas persevering with to duck questions on his plans for subsequent yr.
“I simply need individuals to know I haven’t decided on what I’m going to do in 2024,” Manchin stated. “This isn’t about me or anyone else. It’s about two events which have gone to their respective aspect, the acute proper and excessive left, and the center has been left behind. There’s no voice for the center.”
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