Toomey raises $2.2M for re-election bid
Sen. Pat Toomey (R., Pa.) raised $2.2 million for his re-election campaign from April through June, according to a summary shared by his campaign Monday.
WASHINGTON – Sen. Pat Toomey (R., Pa.) raised $2.2 million for his re-election campaign from April through June, according to a summary shared by his campaign Monday.
The haul – similar to what he raised in the first three months of the year – is likely to give Toomey a commanding financial advantage about 16 months out from what figures to be a challenging Election Day, when he will try to win a second term on the same day Pennsylvania Democrats expect the presidential race to bring out a surge of their voters. Toomey has been named one of Democrats' top targets as they try to retake control of the Senate.
He had $8.3 million cash on hand as of June 30, after spending nearly $1.2 million in the second quarter of the year, including buying his first television ads.
The only Democrat in the race, former Delaware County Congressman Joe Sestak, has not yet reported his latest fund-raising figures. He had $1.7 million on hand through the end of March. Sestak began with a sizable sum for a challenger, but raised a relatively small $312,000 the first three months of the year, much of which he spent walking across the state in an effort, he said, to earn Pennsylvanians' trust.
Sestak's latest report, due Wednesday, will show of how much of a financial head start he may have against any potential rivals. Katie McGinty, Gov. Wolf's chief of staff, is considering entering the Senate race and a decision is expected "soon," according to Mike Mikus, a McGinty political aide.
Another Democrat, Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski, suspended his campaign after the FBI raided Allentown city hall offices.
You can follow Tamari on Twitter or email him at jtamari@phillynews.com.