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CHARLESTON -- The 2024 elections are less than a year away, but the money race has begun with U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney outraising U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin in quarterly fundraising.
According to the Jan. 31 year-end reports covering political fundraising from October through December 2022 filed with the Federal Election Commission, Mooney raised nearly 100% more than Manchin for the reporting period.
Manchin, D-W.Va., raised $160,030 during the three-month period while Mooney, R-W.Va., raised $317,290, leaving him with $1.08 million in cash-on-hand carried over from his successful re-election to the newly redrawn 2nd Congressional District in November.
"Alex Mooney is honored to have such a strong showing of support from conservatives across West Virginia a mere two months after announcing his run for U.S. Senate," said John Findlay, campaign manager for Mooney. "President Joe Biden and the Senate Democrats will pour millions of dollars into protecting this seat, and Senator Joe Manchin's political career. Manchin is a rubber stamp for Biden's agenda and does not represent West Virginia conservatives."
Still, Mooney has a long way to catch up to Manchin's war chest. Manchin has nearly 10 times the amount of cash-on-hand compared to Mooney, sitting on $9.54 million.
Mooney threw his hat in the ring for the U.S. Senate race to challenge Manchin in 2024 one week after winning his election for the new northern 2nd Congressional District in November. Mooney defeated Democratic opponent Barry Wendell 66% to 34%.
After West Virginia went from three congressional districts to two after the 2020 Census, the 1st and 2nd districts were combined into the new 2nd District covering the northern half of West Virginia. Mooney and six-term 1st District Rep. David McKinley challenged each other in the 2022 Republican primary last May, with Mooney defeating McKinley 54% to 36%.
Mooney, a former Maryland statehouse lawmaker and chairman of the Maryland Republican Party, won election to the House in 2014 for the seat once held by U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va. He served the 2nd District for four two-year terms.
There's been bad blood between Mooney and Manchin after Manchin crossed the political aisle to endorse McKinley over Mooney, even recording a TV ad supporting McKinley. Mooney has attacked Manchin for his support of the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in 2021 and the $737 billion Inflation Reduction Act last year.
Manchin, who previously served as a member of the West Virginia Legislature, Secretary of State and a two-term Governor, won in a 2010 special election for the seat held by the late U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd, winning a full term in 2012. He last won re-election to the U.S. Senate in 2018, narrowly defeating Republican Attorney General Patrick Morrisey.
But Manchin has remained coy in the national press as to whether he plans to seek re-election in 2024 or try for a higher office, such as a third-party candidacy for U.S. President, likely contributing to the reluctance of donors to send Manchin money. Also, nearly all of Manchin's campaign donations for the quarter came from out-of-state donors.
"Senator Manchin and his family continue to evaluate the best option for him to continue serving West Virginia and America," said a Manchin aide who declined to be identified. "He intends to win any race he enters and his fundraising reflects that."
Most of Mooney's donors were also from out-of-state. The competition for donations could also heat up once Gov. Jim Justice and Attorney General Patrick Morrisey decide whether to seek the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate. Justice, limited to two consecutive terms as governor, said an announcement could be forthcoming in the next 30 days.
Morrisey, who challenged Manchin in 2018 for U.S. Senate and lost by three points, has released two statements over the last nearly three months encouraging supporters to wait to support a candidate while be mulls his own political options. Morrisey is in his third term as Attorney General.