Fetterman leads fundraising in Pennsylvania’s US Senate race

PITTSBURGH — Democrat John Fetterman is showing his early fundraising prowess in the crowded stakes for Pennsylvania’s open U.S. Senate seat ahead of next year’s election.

Fetterman, the state’s lieutenant governor, reported $2.5 million raised in the three months ending June 30, leaving him with $3 million in his campaign account. That is far more than any candidate, Republican or Democrat, has reported.

Thursday was the Federal Election Commission deadline to file reports for the second quarter.

Fetterman is making his second run for U.S. Senate after coming in third in an expensive three-way Democratic primary race in 2016.

Second behind Fetterman in fundraising in the Democratic primary is Val Arkoosh, who chairs the three-member Montgomery County board of commissioners.

She reported raising $1 million in the quarter, with $632,000 left over in her account. Arkoosh also has the backing of the well-funded EMILY’S List, which spent $1.7 million in Pennsylvania’s 2016 Democratic primary to help Katie McGinty. McGinty won in the Democratic primary but lost in the general election.

Fetterman and Arkoosh may have to contend with another well-funded Democratic candidate: U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb of suburban Pittsburgh. He is expected to enter the Senate race and reported almost $1.8 million in his campaign account as of June 30.

Malcolm Kenyatta, a state House member from Philadelphia who is also running, reported raising $502,000, with $282,000 left over.

Sharif Street, a state senator from Philadelphia, has not officially declared his candidacy in the race, although he is raising money in case he runs. He reported raising $245,000 and having $190,000 left over in his account.

Otherwise, leading the Republican money chase is Jeff Bartos, a real estate investor from suburban Philadelphia, whose campaign reported raising $567,000 in the quarter, not including loans to himself. That left just under $1.9 million in his account as of June 30, including $840,000 in cash he loaned to himself.

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