The well-known Cook Political Report initially rated the 2nd Congressional District race a shoo-in for Capito, labeling it "solid Republican." That changed in May to a rating of "likely Republican" by the report.

In June, the ranking went down again, to "leaning Republican."

Other political analysts have made similar changes in their predictions, moving Barth from a sure loser to a potential winner.

"It may be an indictment of Ms. Capito and the company she keeps in Washington," Casey said, saying Capito has been a Bush administration supporter.

McKinney brushed thoughts of a Barth victory away. "Shelley always runs like she's 20 points behind," he said. "She is a proven fundraiser."

He thinks recent debates between the two about energy and drilling for additional oil have come out in Capito's favor.

"It seems to me Anne Barth stubs her toe every time she talks about energy," he said.

Barth's opponents in the May Democratic primary also filed their final financial reports.

Runner-up Richie Robb, former South Charleston mayor, reported raising $30,998. He got $18,476 of that from donations from individuals and donated or loaned his campaign $12,565. Robb reported spending $18,478 in his losing effort.

South Charleston lawyer Thornton Cooper raised $16,193 for his race and spent that amount. Cooper reported donating $13,565 to his campaign and receiving $2,580 from individuals. He refused to accept any money from political action committees.

Reach Tom Searls at tomsea...@wvgazette.com or 348-5198.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito raised about $90,000 more than her Democratic challenger from April through June, and maintained her big financial advantage in the race.

Still, some national political observers think the race will be closer than they first expected.

Federal Election Commission reports filed by both candidates for the second quarter of this year showed Capito, a four-term Republican incumbent, raised $388,649, while Democrat Anne Barth collected $295,823.

Officials from both parties were quick to blast the other candidate's fundraising.

"I think it shows without [U.S. Sen. Robert C.] Byrd's help Barth would be going begging," said state Republican Chairman Doug McKinney. Barth was a longtime aide to Byrd, the state's senior senator.

Nick Casey, state Democratic Party chairman, said the list of Capito contributors "has everybody on there who makes people's skin crawl."

He noted contributions from Countrywide PAC, the political action committee of the mortgage lender that made bad loans and has foreclosed on homes across the nation, and Capital One Financial Political Fund, a bank that the West Virginia attorney general sued for alleged consumer fraud. Both of those contributions, $1,000 each, were made in 2007.

"The one thing that impressed me the most is almost all of [Barth's] money - roughly 80 percent - came from inside West Virginia," Casey said. "West Virginians [are] financially supporting Anne Barth."

Barth spent $254,391 from April to June of this year, leaving her with $353,449 at the end of June.

Capito spent only $79,475 during that same time, but had more than $1.2 million in her campaign coffers - about three and a half times as much as Barth.

Still, outside political observers have been watching the race. Several have changed their views on the battle in the 2nd Congressional District, which stretches from Harpers Ferry in the east to Point Pleasant in the west.

The well-known Cook Political Report initially rated the 2nd Congressional District race a shoo-in for Capito, labeling it "solid Republican." That changed in May to a rating of "likely Republican" by the report.

In June, the ranking went down again, to "leaning Republican."

Other political analysts have made similar changes in their predictions, moving Barth from a sure loser to a potential winner.

"It may be an indictment of Ms. Capito and the company she keeps in Washington," Casey said, saying Capito has been a Bush administration supporter.

McKinney brushed thoughts of a Barth victory away. "Shelley always runs like she's 20 points behind," he said. "She is a proven fundraiser."

He thinks recent debates between the two about energy and drilling for additional oil have come out in Capito's favor.

"It seems to me Anne Barth stubs her toe every time she talks about energy," he said.

Barth's opponents in the May Democratic primary also filed their final financial reports.

Runner-up Richie Robb, former South Charleston mayor, reported raising $30,998. He got $18,476 of that from donations from individuals and donated or loaned his campaign $12,565. Robb reported spending $18,478 in his losing effort.

South Charleston lawyer Thornton Cooper raised $16,193 for his race and spent that amount. Cooper reported donating $13,565 to his campaign and receiving $2,580 from individuals. He refused to accept any money from political action committees.

Reach Tom Searls at tomsea...@wvgazette.com or 348-5198.