How Pittenger, Dalton compare

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.