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CHARLESTON -- The rise in COVID-19 cases during the summer and fall didn't stop candidates for offices on the West Virginia Board of Public Works from raising the money they need to reach voters for the Nov. 3 general election.
The third quarter campaign finance reports covering the period between July 1 and Sept. 30 were due Wednesday. The West Virginia Secretary of State's Office is responsible for electronic campaign finance reports for statewide, legislative, and judicial races for state Supreme Court of Appeals, circuit court judges and family court judges.
Offices up for election on the Board of Public works include governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state treasurer, state auditor, and commissioner of agriculture. There are four incumbents seeking a second term for their seats, while Republican Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is seeking a third term and Democratic State Treasurer John Perdue is seeking a record-breaking seventh term.
The third quarter campaign finance reports provide a snapshot into the financial condition of campaigns and their support going into the 2020 general election on Nov. 3. The next campaign finance deadline -- covering donations between Oct. 1 and Oct. 18 -- is due no later than Oct. 23.
GOVERNOR
In the race for Governor, Democrat-turned-Republican Jim Justice was able to bring in more financial support than his Democratic challenger, Kanawha County Commissioner Ben Salango. Justice raised $889,939 during the quarter, bringing his election year-to-date donations to $1.591 million. Justice has collected a debt of $2.130 million since the start of his reelection campaign, mostly consisting of loans to his campaign.
Salango, who entered the race last summer, raised $564,033 during the quarter, bringing his total in year-to-date donations to $1.552 million and only a $500,000 loan. Justice has outspent Salango, spending $3.360 million to Salango's $1.781 million. Justice is heading into the last four weeks of the election with $262,936, while Salango has $152,918 in cash-on-hand.
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Morrisey, who has served as the first Republican attorney general since 1925, has an enormous money advantage over employment law attorney Sam Brown Petsonk, the Democratic challenger. Morrisey raised $435,179 during the quarter and $1.056 million year-to-date. His campaign finance report shows only a $25,361 in outstanding loans and unpaid bills.
Petsonk raised $204,922 during the quarter for a total of $472,014 year-to-date and a $75,000 loan to his campaign. Petsonk outspent Morrisey by more than 88 percent, spending $390,060 to Morrisey's 206,978. But Morrisey has more cash-on-hand going into October with $871,314 to Petsonk's $102,327.
SECRETARY OF STATE
In his race for a second term, Republican Secretary of State Mac Warner is fending off a challenge from the two-term Democratic secretary of state he defeated in 2016, Natalie Tennant. Both raised comparable amounts of money.
Warner raised $116,691 during the quarter and $280,430 year-to-date. Tennant raised $91,804 for the quarter and $207,679 year-to-date. Warner has spent more to secure a second term, spending $124,481, while Tennant has only spent $50,184. Warner goes into October with $150,978, while Tennant has a slight money advantage with $154,497.
STATE TREASURER
Democratic State Treasurer John Perdue is on his sixth term and is the longest-serving state treasurer in West Virginia history. Republican Riley Moore, a former lawmaker from Jefferson County, is hoping to make history as well by becoming the first elected Republican state treasurer since 1928.
Perdue raised $169,639 for the quarter and $390,454 year-to-date. Moore raised $87,755 for the quarter and $227,598 since starting his campaign nearly two years ago. Moore has spent more, with $165,977 in expenses, while Perdue spent $76,749. But Perdue has substantially more cash-on-hand with $309,380 to Moore's $52,364.
COMMISSIONER
OF AGRICULTURE
It's a race between two people who both represented Monongalia county together in the West Virginia Senate. Republican Kent Leonhardt is seeking a second term as the state's chief farmer. State Sen. Bob Beach, D-Monongalia, is giving Leonhardt a challenge.
The money tree was good to Leonhardt. He raised $80,889 during the quarter and $239,207 year-to-date. Beach raised $18,585 for the quarter and $50,926 year-to-date.
Leonhardt spent more, with $169,417 in expenses compared to Beach with $41,208. Leonhardt also has more money in the bank, with $69,093 in cash-on-hand compared to Beach with $7,125.
STATE AUDITOR
Republican State Auditor J.B. McCuskey is seeking a second term and once again faces a challenge from Democrat Mary Ann Claytor, a former employee of the State Auditor's Office. McCuskey raised $41,225 for the quarter and $114,180 year-to-date. Claytor raised $25,410 for the quarter and $33,570 year-to-date with $10 in unpaid bills. McCuskey spent $47,865 and has $66,316 in cash-on-hand. Claytor spent $16,555 and has $16,913 in cash-on-hand.
(Adams can be contacted at sadams@newsandsentinel.com)