CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Former coal executive Don Blankenship has been writing big checks to his campaign and then spending the money almost as quickly.
Blankenship’s most recent campaign finance report was made available Friday morning by the Federal Election Commission.
Blankenship, who remains on supervised release for his sentence on a coal mine safety conspiracy charge, is part of a crowded and competitive Republican primary.
He stands out, not only because of his controversial background, but because he can write his own checks.
MORE: Read Don Blankenship’s quarterly report to the Federal Elections Commission.
Blankenship’s quarterly filing showed that he has loaned his campaign $2,015,000.
The campaign reported only one other donation — $1,000 from a North Carolina resident.
Blankenship’s campaign had $214,229 cash on hand after the reporting period, which ended March 31.
Before the period began, the campaign had $146,490.
During the period, the campaign brought in $1,616,000 and spent $1,548,261, mostly for broadcast advertising.
Blankenship’s candidacy has been a political lightning rod because of the 1-year prison sentence he completed for his misdemeanor conviction on conspiracy to violate mine safety regulations.
The charges against Blankenship related to his leadership of Massey Energy leading up to the 2010 explosion of the Upper Big Branch mine, which killed 29 workers.
Blankenship’s period of supervised release ends May 9, the day after the primary.
Incumbent U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat, has had the most money on hand throughout the election cycle.
The most recent quarterly filings show Manchin now has $5,436,712.
Before the reporting period began, Manchin had $4,711,955.
Manchin’s quarterly campaign finance report, which also had been processed by the FEC, was a whopping 460 pages.
Manchin’s campaign benefits not only from his election’s committee’s fundraising efforts but also by transfers from a couple of other fundraising committees, including Senate 2018 Impact and Blue Senate 2018.
During the most recent quarter, Manchin’s campaign brought in $948,614 and spent $223,856.
Over the full course of the campaign so far, Manchin’s committee has brought in $6,151,8809 and spent $2,314,419.
MORE: Read the quarterly finance report for the Manchin campaign.
Updated filings for other campaigns for U.S. Senate, including for Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and Congressman Evan Jenkins, did not appear to be completely processed by the FEC by Friday morning.