CHARLESTON — Last minute fundraising by U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney for his GOP primary for U.S. Senate still has him with the most cash-on-hand, but the race’s frontrunner – Gov. Jim Justice – outraised Mooney for the reporting period and election cycle-to-date as the countdown to May 14 continues.

The U.S. Senate primary is one of several contested primaries for Congress, with candidates for the 1st and 2nd congressional districts hustling to raise funds as voters begin casting ballots early leading up to the Tuesday, May 14 primary.

Federal Election Commission 12-day pre-primary reports were due Thursday. These reports cover campaign contributions to candidates for U.S. Senate and House of Representatives between April 1 through April 24.

Mooney, R-W.Va., has nearly $1.3 million in cash-on-hand heading into the final 11 days of the primary period, raising $57,601 during the reporting period and more than $2 million election cycle-to-date.

Of the money raised during the reporting period, $7,291 was transferred from Mooney’s 2022 campaign for the 2nd Congressional District. Another $17,493 was transferred from Mooney’s joint fundraising committee, though the campaign returned $2,309 back to the JFC.

Despite Mooney’s $57,601 campaign haul for the reporting period, the total number of contribution refunds for the period was $60,350, negating Mooney’s total contributions by -$2,749.

On the other hand, Justice raised $77,259 during the reporting period and nearly $2.6 million election cycle-to-date, leaving his campaign with $750,291 in cash-on-hand. Another $113,000 was transferred from the Justice Victory Committee, the Governor’s JFC with the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Justice’s report continues to show $35,000 owed to the Justice-owned Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Spring, after the campaign paid $25,000 towards the $60,000 debt for Justice’s April 2023 campaign announcement.

Justice is also seeking another extension for his required U.S. Senate financial disclosure report. The annual report is due by May 15 or 30 days before an election. Justice was criticized last year for requesting a delay and blowing past that extension deadline, filing his report on Sept. 25 of last year and an amendment in January. There was no U.S. Senate financial disclosure report available for Mooney, and his most recent House of Representative financial disclosure report was 2022.

Other Republican candidates in the U.S. Senate primary include Bryan Bird, Zane Lawhorn, Don Lindsay, Bryan McKinney, and Janet McNulty.

In the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, community organizer Zachary Shrewsbury pulled in more contributions than Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott, though Elliott has more cash-on-hand.

Shrewsbury raised $103,828 for the reporting period and $289,643 election cycle-to-date, leaving him with $56,783 in cash-on-hand. Elliott raised $15,200 for the period and $125,408 election cycle-to-date, leaving him with $65,336 in cash-on-hand.

There was no report available for former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship, who went on the air last week with four TV ads. One ad accused the government of covering up information about the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, ending cryptically with Blankenship saying, “if they tell you I fell off the bed and hung myself, I didn’t.”

There was also no financial disclosure report filed with the U.S. Senate for Blankenship and Shrewsbury. The only Democratic candidate with a U.S. Senate financial disclosure report was Elliott, reporting income from his salary for mayor and partnership distributions for LLCs owned by Elliott, real estate assets, bank accounts, and mortgages and vehicle loans.

In the GOP primary for the 2nd Congressional District, retired Brig. Gen. Chris “Mookie” Walker is catching up to State Treasurer Riley Moore in fundraising, though Moore has more cash-on-hand.

Walker, who only just entered the race in January, raised $171,134 during the reporting period and $623,992 election cycle-to-date, but he is burning through his money and has $101,626 in cash-on-hand and $70,000 in loans/debts. Moore raised $57,267 for the period but raised $957,415 election cycle-to-date since entering the race in November 2022. Moore’s cash-on-hand is $407,863.

Other GOP candidates for the 2nd Congressional District include Joe Earley, Nate Cain, and Alexander Gaaserud.

In the 1st Congressional District, convicted Jan. 6 rioter Derrick Evans has nearly caught up to U.S. Rep. Carol Miller, R-W.Va., in fundraising. However, she goes into the next week or so with more available cash. Evans raised $120,394 for the period and $780,985 election cycle-to-date, with $65,259 in cash-on-hand. Miller raised $30,663 for the period and $980,557 election cycle-to-date, leaving her with $129,416 in cash-on-hand. Miller’s loan/debt total is $417,993.