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WEST VIRGINIA RECORD

Friday, March 29, 2024

Morrisey continues to raise more funds than McGraw heading into election

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CHARLESTON -- Republican Patrick Morrisey continues to out-raise his Democratic opponent, longtime West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw, according to recent campaign finance reports.

The Eastern Panhandle attorney reported $460,498.80 in total contributions year-to-date in his general-first report filed late last week.

Compare that to the $252,482.64 he reported in total contributions year-to-date in his post-primary report, filed in May.

Meanwhile, McGraw, who has held the office since 1992, reported $181,772.31 in total contributions year-to-date in his own general-first report last week.

That’s about $78,000 more than what he reported in his May report -- $104,075.29.

Morrisey also raised significantly more funds during the latest reporting period -- $208,016.16 compared to McGraw’s $77,197.02.

A bulk of Morrisey’s funds -- $115,991.20 worth -- came from contributions at fundraising events. Another chunk -- $90,692.59 -- came from individual contributions.

Of that $90,692.59 in individual contributions, about one-third came from donations of less than $250.

The rest -- $64,561.85 -- came from donations of more than $250.

Some of those donors included Bill Maloney, a Republican running for governor, who gave Morrisey $1,000; F.T. Graff Jr., senior counsel at Charleston law firm Bowles Rice, who gave $500; and Paul Ormond, CEO of Manor Care, who gave $1,000.

Of those donors at Morrisey fundraisers, American Health Care Association PAC gave $1,000, GlaxoSmithKline PAC gave $500 and West Virginians for Coal PAC gave $1,000.

As for McGraw’s $77,197.02, nearly all of it -- $67,921.50 -- came from various fundraising events.

A number of those donors included attorneys for the State; attorneys at Charleston law firms DiTrapano Barrett and DiPiero, and Mani, Ellis and Layne; attorneys at Louisiana-based firm Salim-Beasley; attorneys at Wheeling-based Fitzsimmons Law Firm; attorneys at Frankovitch Anetakis Colantonio and Simon in Weirton; and attorneys at Moundsville-based Gold Khourey and Turak.

Other contributors to McGraw’s campaign included: Marvin Masters of the Masters Law Firm in Charleston, for $1,000; Silas Taylor, McGraw’s own senior deputy attorney general, for $500; and Robert Warner of Warner Law Offices in Charleston, for $1,000.

As for cash-on-hand, Morrisey also reported significantly more than his opponent.

Morrisey’s most recent statement showed a cash balance of $290,695.86.

Meanwhile, McGraw reported a cash balance of $149,835.41.

The attorney general’s statement also showed considerably less in total expenditures year-to-date -- $30,133.96, compared to Morrisey’s $410,406.63.

Morrisey’s campaign, in a news release Tuesday, questioned McGraw’s figures.

“The report shows that McGraw has not hired a single campaign staff member, despite the attorney general himself, and his representatives, having a presence at nearly every parade, county fair or festival, and, of course, campaign fundraisers,” Morrisey campaign manager Scott Will said.

“He also reported de minimus travel and office expenses even though he is traveling around the state to campaign. In one case, McGraw relied upon three state cars to travel to a fundraiser.

“How could that be? The answer is clear: Attorney General McGraw has chosen to rely upon state workers in the Office of the Attorney General to handle traditional campaign activities.”

Will, again, points to McGraw’s recent financial statement.

“According to his campaign finance report, McGraw raised little more than one third of what challenger Patrick Morrisey reported having raised during the same period,” he said.

“McGraw reported $149,000 cash on hand, whereas Morrisey has more than $290,000 left in the bank for the final five weeks of the campaign.

“McGraw’s escalating reliance upon West Virginia taxpayers to fund his campaign is clearly a panic-response to poor fundraising.”

SUPREME COURT RACE

In West Virginia’s Supreme Court race, Democrat Robin Jean Davis is out-raising her opponents with a little over a month left before the November election.

Davis, a sitting justice who was first elected to the state’s high court in 1996 and reelected in 2000, is one of four candidates seeking to fill two open seats on the Court.

According to her general-first report filed last week, Davis has received $461,218.18 in total contributions year-to-date.

Close behind her is Republican Allen Loughry, with $420,612.00.

Next is Democrat Tish Chafin, the managing partner of the H. Truman Chafin Law Firm in Williamson with her husband, state Sen. Truman Chafin.

Chafin, in her most recent filing, reported $381,258.18 in total contributions.

The other Republican in the race, circuit judge John Yoder, reported $19,237.36 in total contributions year-to-date.

Davis has nearly doubled her year-to-date total, after reporting $253,339.18 in total contributions back in May.

Most of the justice’s $207,879 in contributions during the most recent reporting period -- $162,095 -- came from various fundraising events.

Chafin also received a considerable amount of contributions in the last four months -- $171,960 worth.

Of that amount, $102,000 came from individual contributions of $250 or more.

Meanwhile, Loughry reported receiving $8,562 in contributions during the most recent reporting period.

The Supreme Court clerk was the only candidate in this year’s race to opt into a public financing pilot program state lawmakers passed in an attempt to reduce the influence of special interest money.

Although the pilot program’s matching funds provisions were deemed unconstitutional by the state Supreme Court last month, Loughry was permitted to retain the initial $350,000 disbursed under the program.

The Court also allowed Loughry to seek private campaign contributions, seeing as the case presented a “unique set of circumstances.”

Of the $8,562 he reported last week, $7,500 came from individual contributions of $250 or more.

His fellow Republican, Yoder, more than doubled his total contributions, adding $9,595 to his previous $9,618.36 pot.

Most of the $9,595 -- $7,300 -- came from contributions of $250 or more.

In terms of cash balances, Loughry reported the most, with $166,967.29.

Davis has the second-most cash-on-hand, with $153,418.62.

Meanwhile, Chafin has $113,668.09 and Loughry has $10,395.86 heading into next month’s election.

Each campaign must file their next finance report -- or pre-general report -- Oct. 22-26.

To view each candidate’s detailed finance report, click here.

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