Incumbent Democrat Joe Manchin pulled in by far the most cash in the second quarter in his bid to retain his West Virginia seat in the U.S. Senate, far outstripping Republican challenger John Raese.

Manchin’s staff disclosed Monday the former West Virginia governor collected almost $850,000 in the last three months in a rematch with Raese in the fall election.

On the other hand, the Morgantown businessman raised just under $160,000 in the last quarter, giving the GOP nominee slightly under $86,000 cash in hand.

“Sen. Manchin needs all the money he can get,” said Joshua Sowards, communications director for Raese.

“Deceiving millions of people doesn’t come cheap.”

In one of the more closely watched congressional races, veteran Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., finished the second quarter with a war chest of just under $1 million.

Republican challenger Rick Snuffer, a freshman in the House of Delegates, said he had a balance of $150,000, and barely eclipsed the Democratic incumbent in the quarter’s donation period in the 3rd District race.

 A major boost to his second campaign against Rahall came the weekend of the devastating derecho at a fundraiser at the home of Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., featuring House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.

Snuffer, a former pastor now working in home construction, said he raised $198,489 from April 19 through the end of June, while Rahall, first elected in 1976, had collections of $196,368.

Rahall’s campaign fund stood at just below $1 million.

Manchin was elevated to the Senate after the death of Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va.,  won the right to complete Byrd’s term in a special election two years ago by defeating Raese. This year, the two are facing each other again, this time for the full, six-year term.

Manchin said his campaign fund has a balance of $2.2 million. In the first quarter, his campaign took in $884,000.

“I am grateful for the continued support from so many, who tell me they want leaders in Washington who can work together to find solutions to our nation’s challenges,” the senator said.

“I appreciate the encouragement I get from people all over West Virginia and this country who tell me to remember where I came from and to keep fighting for true West Virginia values, and that’s what I’m doing.”

Snuffer’s campaign manager, Jake DeVantier, said the Republican challenger got nearly 17 times as much money from donors in West Virginia, a total of $78,755, and twice as much from individuals as Rahall.

Jim Zola, an aide to Rahall, said, “While Rick Snuffer was getting cozy with the radical right-wing leadership of the U.S. House and hitting West Virginians up for cash, Congressman Rahall was concentrating his efforts on assisting victims in West Virginia of the devastating storm and he continues to do so.”

“I am proud to have the support of so many West Virginians who want conservative leadership in Washington to stop the ‘war on coal’ and stop the attacks on our way of life,” Snuffer said.

Snuffer said he raised almost three times as much money as he did in the full campaign in his failed 2004 effort to unseat Rahall.

In a related vein, Manchin came out in favor of the so-called DISCLOSE Act on campaign finance transparency.

“So many West Virginians are troubled with the increasing role that money is playing in politics, and I am concerned about how much anonymous money is influencing our democratic process,” he said.

“The people of West Virginia believe, as I believe, that we need openness, fairness and transparency to stay informed and keep our democracy strong, and the DISCLOSE Act would do just that. This bill makes sure every person and organization plays fairly by the same rules, whether those organizations are in the middle, left, right, forward, backward, or upside down.”

— E-mail: mannix@register-herald.com