THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, July 16, 1994 TAG: 9407160266
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY WARREN FISKE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Short : 39 lines
Republican Oliver L. North is continuing a record-breaking fund-raising pace in this year's U.S. Senate race, collecting about nine times more money in the past six weeks than incumbent Democrat Charles S. Robb.
North raised nearly $2.6 million between May 16 and June 30, according to a report filed Friday with the Federal Election Commission.
Robb listed $281,000 in contributions between May 26 and the end of June.
North has raised $8.4 million - more than 80 percent of it from outside Virginia - since launching his Senate campaign last year. He is hoping to collect $20 million, which would shatter the record of $16.9 million for a Senate campaign set by Jesse Helms, R-North Carolina, in 1990.
Robb has raised $2.5 million since last year, more than 70 percent of it from outside the state.
North, who is soliciting funds through a national direct-mail campaign, is also spending at roughly three times Robb's pace. North spent nearly $2.5 million over the past six weeks, compared to Robb's $885,000.
North reported having only $772,000 left in the bank; Robb had $345,000.
Independent J. Marshall Coleman had raised $135,000 since entering the race in June. He had spent about $61,000.
L. Douglas Wilder, the former governor who is also running as an independent, reported contributions of $66,988, but showed only $430 remaining in the bank. Wilder said Friday he has loaned his campaign at least $25,000.
Coleman and Wilder both say they received a $1,000 contribution from retired Gen. Colin L. Powell, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
KEYWORDS: CAMPAIGN FINANCES SENATE RACE CANDIDATE by CNB