Specter leads in cash-on-hand, but Toomey is closing the gap

U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter has more than twice the campaign cash as his Republican foe, former U.S. Rep. Pat Toomey. But Toomey is raising money faster as Specter seeks a sixth six-year term, according to new federal reports.

Specter, who switched from Republican to Democrat a year ago this month, told the Federal Election Commission yesterday that he raised $1.16 million in the first three months of 2010 and now has $9 million in the bank.

Toomey, who nearly defeated Specter in the 2004 GOP primary, raised $2.3 million in the same period, twice what Specter pulled in. Toomey's campaign, which reports $4 million in the bank, claimed Specter's support, "despite having all the fundraising advantages of a 30-year incumbent Washington insider, slowly crumbles."

U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak, who faces Specter in the May 18 Democratic primary, raised $442,000 in the first quarter of 2010 and has $5.3 million in the bank.

Specter last week said he would not start running expensive television commercials until Sestak made that move. But Specter launched his commercials on Wednesday.

Chris Nichols, his campaign manager, said Specter thought it was time to get on television.

Nichols said the commercials were not in response to recent polls showing Toomey with a lead in a projected general-election match-up against Specter.

"We are focused on the primary now," Nichols said.

Sestak took credit this week for Specter starting to dig into his warchest, claiming the primary race is tightening as he expected.

"It will go down to the last week," said Sestak, declining to say when in the next five weeks he will air TV ads. "We're going to be up at the right time."

Peg Luksik, a Republican, said she raised about $437,000 in the first three months of 2010 and has about $8,500 in the bank.

A third Democrat, Joe Vodvarka, was removed from the ballot by the state Commonwealth Court this week after Sestak challenged his nominating petitions.