The GOP challenger to freshman Rep. Patrick Murphy (D) has raised more than $400,000 so far in his campaign. Retired Marine Corps Officer Tom Manion (R), who entered the race in mid-January, expects his cash-on-hand figure to be about the same.

“When I decided to embark on a run for Congress, I was hopeful that I would receive strong support for my candidacy,” Manion said. “The response we’ve seen has far exceeded my expectations and demonstrates that this race will be extremely competitive.”

The 8th Congressional district, which comprises Bucks County in southeast Pennsylvania, is expected to have one of the most competitive races in the state this cycle. Murphy defeated one-term Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (R) by a slim margin of about 1,500 votes in 2006.

Murphy’s campaign said Wednesday that he had raised more than $2.1 million through the first quarter of this year, although exact figures were not available because the deadline for reporting fundraising figures isn’t until April 15.
— Shira Toeplitz