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Most of Rusnak’s funds came during her contested primary, when she raised $121,900 to her opponent’s $49,300.

Mitchell’s funding has come mostly in the past three weeks, with his early October reports showing only $8,000 raised. Mitchell’s primary was uncontested.

Rusnak has spent $178,400 of her funds, mostly on advertising, such as social media posts, television commercials and billboards.

Contested elections

This is the first time a Kanawha County prosecuting attorney race has been contested since 2008. Contested elections typically require more funds than uncontested elections. In 2020, the uncontested prosecuting attorney candidate raised only $2,800.

Campaign finance reports from more than five years ago are not available at the Kanawha County Clerk’s Office.

Donors across the aisle

Many of Rusnak’s donors are prominent local attorneys and politicians, a major one being Democrat Kanawha County Commissioner Ben Salango, who donated $5,600, the maximum under state law. The money is listed as coming from Salango’s excess campaign funds. Another elected official, Democrat Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin, donated $500.

Rusnak said she has received donations from Democrats because her campaign’s mission is not party-specific.

“One thing that we never know, about victims and defendants alike, is party affiliation,� she said.

Rusnak also noted that she had received donations of as little as $5.

“I honestly didn’t know what to expect when I started the campaign,� she said. “I was fortunate enough to be overwhelmed with support.�

In the other high-profile contested Kanawha County race — county commission — Democrat Natalie Tennant has raised $44,200, and Chris Walters has raised $37,500 for a total of $81,738.

Rusnak’s fundraising is comparable to some statewide races. Secretary of state Republican nominee Kris Warner has raised $182,300, and Democrat nominee Thornton Cooper has raised $24,800, for a total between the two of $207,100.

Prosecutor races nationwide

A found that, nationwide, the median contested election raises around $28,500. The report relied on prosecuting attorney elections between 2012 and 2017 in every state, although most took place in 2014 or 2016.

In districts with a population between 250,000 and 1 million people, the median contested election raised over $185,000. Kanawha County has 181,000 people, according to 2020 U.S. Census data.

Excess funds

Under state law, money raised by a candidate and not spent can be used by the candidate for:

• “Usual and customary expensesâ€� incurred during their duties as a public office holder
• A charitable contribution
• A subsequent campaign by the same candidate
• A national committee
• A state party executive committee or legislative caucus committee
• A local committee of any political party or any other candidate for public office

Rusnak said that, as she was new to campaigning, she would save enough money in case she was hit “with an unexpected expenditure.�