Mark Warner raises millions for Senate bid

Former Gov. Mark R. Warner said his U.S. Senate campaign raised about $2.5 million in the first quarter.

The campaign ended the quarter with $4.4 million in the bank.

Warner is the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate seat of Sen. John W. Warner, a Republican, who is retiring after five terms.

Three Republicans are vying for their party’s nomination, which will be decided at a convention in Richmond on May 31. Former Gov. Jim Gilmore, Del. Robert G. Marshall of Prince William and Springfield consultant Bob Berry are competing for the nomination.

None reported his campaign finances yesterday. The reports are due to be filed Tuesday with the Federal Election Commission.

Warner said money came from 5,024 individual donors. About 3,900 were Virginia residents, he said.

Warner raised $2.7 million in the last quarter of 2007 and $1.1 million in the two-week period before that, after he announced his candidacy. That would indicate that the Warner campaign has spent almost $2 million.

A spokesman for Warner said he had contributed none of his own money to the campaign. Warner made a fortune in the cell phone business and has invested in previous campaigns.

In early February, Gilmore had raised only about $300,000.

— Tyler Whitley