Slicin' and Dicin' the Money Reports, Part I

Republican Bob McDonnell spilled some ink yesterday talking not only about how much more money he has in the bank than his gubernatorial rival, Democrat Creigh Deeds, but also comparing how many of his donations came from Virginia in the most recent reporting period.

It's not quite the same picture that emerges from McDonnell's campaign finance filings for the period from May 28 to June 30, which were made public today.

McDonnell's on-hand advantage is real: He's got nearly $5 million compared to Deeds's $2.7 million. But the numbers, compiled by the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project, show that McDonnell spent almost exactly what he raised ($1.82 million versus $1.79 million), meaning the amount of cash he has on hand remains virtually unchanged.

The numbers also show that the two biggest sources of money remain, by a long shot, the Republican Governors Association ($1.95 million) and the Republican National Committee ($1.5 million). The next biggest sources ring in at the $50,000 level, including these newcomers to the list: Joseph Luter, chairman of Smithfield Foods, and Richard Gilliam of Keswick, president of the coal-mining company Cumberland Resources.

McDonnell revealed yesterday that 75 percent of his donors this period are from Virginia. He didn't mention that 70 percent of his money all year -- not including the most recent period -- is from out of state.

Next up: Creigh Deeds.