How is fundraising going in the lieutenant governor's race?

Campaign finance reports from both Democratic nominee Walter Dalton and Republican rival Robert Pittenger are in for the second quarter.

Here's a breakdown of the numbers:

Fundraising: Since the beginning of their campaigns, Pittenger has raised $1.9 million; Dalton, $1.5 million. But take out the $765,000 Pittenger has given his own campaign, and he only raised $1.2 million from others.

Cash on Hand: At the end of the second quarter, Pittenger had $316,000, while Dalton had $177,000. Pittenger has nearly double the money, but neither amount is all that impressive given how much TV ads are going to cost in November.

Spending: Pittenger spent $450,216 in the second quarter, while Dalton spent $637,602. Still, Dalton had more formidable opponents than Pittenger did, so this doesn't prove much. Both will need to keep their expenses down to afford TV ads.

Dalton is part of a powerful Senate clique led by Senate leader Marc Basnight, while Pittenger is sometimes forgotten by his own party's leaders. Still, neither is exactly a household name or has the kind of larger-than-life personality that will draw attention.

In a low-interest race like the lieutenant governor, that means the race may come down to who gets their name out better. For now, the numbers show a pretty even match, unless Pittenger continues to dig into his own pockets.

Robert Pittenger gave his campaign $150,000.

The Republican nominee for lieutenant governor gave the money to his own campaign on June 30, just as the reporting period ended for the State Board of Elections.

The donation makes up about a third of the $435,102 he received in the second quarter of 2008.

In addition, Pittenger gave his state Senate campaign a total of $615,000 in separate donations during 2007, before he officially announced he was running for lieutenant governor.

Not counting the $150,000 donation, Pittenger's fundraising is a lot closer to the money raised by his Democratic rival, state Sen. Walter Dalton.

During the second quarter, Pittenger raised $285,102 from other sources, while Dalton raised $255,305.

That's a difference of about $30,000.

Note: Pittenger's campaign finance report mistakenly included the previous donations in the breakout of contributors because of a software glitch. The summary pages of that report are correct, however.

From the Letting Bygones Be Bygones Department:

Canton Mayor Pat Smathers gave Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor Walter Dalton $250 on June 20, according to campaign finance reports.

That would be about a month and a half after Dalton beat Smathers for the nomination. 

Walter Dalton received $1.5 million in contributions by the end of June.

The Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor received $255,305 in contributions during the second quarter of the year, according to his most recent campaign finance report.

Major donors included Crandall Bowles, Greensboro executive Joseph Bryan Jr., Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers, Franklin Street Partners executive Robert Eubanks, Capstrat CEO Ken Eudy and developer Mack Pearsall. 

He also received contributions from political action committees such as the Bank of America PAC, the Baxter Healthcare PAC, the N.C. Home Builders Association, DominionPAC, the N.C. Restaurant Association, the N.C. Association of Nurse Anesthetists, Wal-Mart's PAC and the N.C. Trucking Association.

He also spent $637,602 in the second quarter, leaving him with $177,357 in cash on hand.

Robert Pittenger received $1.9 million in contributions by the end of June.

The Republican nominee for lieutenant governor raised $435,102 in the second quarter of 2008, according to his most recent campaign finance report.

Major donors included real estate developer Justus Ammons, Carolina Panthers coach John Fox and Carolina Mills chairman George Moretz.

He also received money from political action committees such as Carolina Conservatives, the Kerr Drug PAC, Wal-Mart's Wal-PAC, the Mid-Atlantic Emergency Medical Association PAC and the Wilmington Anesthesiologists PAC.

His campaign still owes a $500,000 loan from his wife, Suzanne.

He spent $450,216 in the second quarter, leaving him with $316,190 in cash on hand.

Update: Pittenger also gave his own campaign $150,000 in the second quarter. 

The N.C. Libertarian Party will have 38 candidates on the fall ballot.

The newly re-recognized party formally presented its list of candidates for state and federal offices to the State Board of Elections Monday.

As previously announced, Duke University professor Mike Munger will run for governor. Phillip Rhodes of Chapel Hill is running for lieutenant governor and Mark McMains of Fuquay-Varina for commissioner of insurance. Twenty-four candidates are running for legislative seats.

Chris Cole, a contract postal worker who lives in Huntersville, is running for U.S. Senate. Five candidates are running for Congressional seats: Will Adkins of Cary, Maximillian Longley of Durham, Thomas Hill of Concord, Andy Grum of Matthews and Keith Smith of Bostic.

Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr will also be on the ballot. 

Robert Pittenger took a swipe at the state Senate.

Speaking at a Raleigh rally today, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor and former state senator said that the Democratic majority in the Senate has overruled the GOP minority, especially during the recent budget negotiations.

"There's less freedom of speech in the North Carolina Senate than there is the Russian Duma," he said.

He said that Senate Democrats have "ramrodded" the budget and other bills, ruling Republican amendments out of order "on a daily basis." He said Democrats have avoided voting on serious issues and called his opponent, Sen. Walter Dalton, the "No. 2 pork barrel spender" in the state.

"When I have this gavel in my hand, we're going to have an open democracy in North Carolina," he said.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and lieutenant governor candidate Robert Pittenger talk about how Huckabee used the Heimlich maneuver on Pittenger on the show "Fox & Friends" Monday.

State Sen. Robert Rucho returned to office Monday night after a 3 1/2 year absence.

"I felt I had some unfinished business to attend to," Rucho said. "I felt a person with my experience could help from day one."

The Charlotte Republican greeted colleagues he remembered from his last stint in office, which ended in December 2004, Lynn Bonner reports.

After serving eight years, Rucho decided not to seek re-election in 2004 when new Senate district maps put him in the same district with fellow Republican Sen. Robert Pittenger.

Pittenger, who is running for lieutenant governor, resigned the seat last month. Rucho won the primary to replace him and has no Democratic competition.