U.S. Rep. Michael Rulli raised more than nine times the amount of money collected by his Democratic opponent, Michael L. Kripchak, during the third quarter with much of the incumbent Republican’s funds coming from political action committees.

Rulli, R-Salem, received $250,095 in the third quarter with $155,786, or 62 percent, of it coming from PACs.

The amount raised in the quarter pushed Rulli over the $1 million mark since forming his federal campaign in December. Rulli had $1,000,520 as of Sept. 30.

Rulli and Kripchak of Youngstown are running for the 6th Congressional District seat. Rulli won a special June 11 election by 9.3 percent for the unexpired term of Republican Bill Johnson, who resigned in January to become Youngstown State University president.

Rulli and Kripchak face off again in the Nov. 5 general election.

In comparison, Kripchak raised $26,862 in the third quarter with no money coming from PACs. Overall, he raised $62,517 for his campaign as of Sept. 30.

Since Rulli’s June 11 election, about half of the money he’s received has come from PACs.

In the third quarter, Rulli received $5,000 maximum donations from PACs representing the American Crystal Sugar Co., National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Automobile Dealers Association, American Israel Public Affairs Committee, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Home Depot and Operating Engineers.

He also received $5,000 contributions from PACs run by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, the Republican Governance Group, a group of moderate Republican House members and three other Republican members of Congress — Virginia Foxx of North Carolina, Richard Hudson of North Carolina and Jason Smith of Missouri.

Because of the timing of the special election, the third quarter finances for Rulli and Kripchak are from July 2, rather than July 1, and run through Sept. 30.

Rulli spent $136,276 in the third quarter with his largest expense being $46,000 to Spencer Federal LLC of East Liverpool for campaign consulting, printing and mail. He also paid $18,231 to Poolhouse Agency LLC of Richmond, Va., for media production and $14,225 to Grand Valley Consulting LLC of Washington, D.C., for fundraising consulting.

Overall, Rulli spent $825,475 since December to win the March Republican primary, the June special election and toward getting re-elected in this current election.

Rulli included a number of travel expenses in the third quarter on his campaign finance report.

Among them are four stays — all listed on his report as being paid Sept. 9 — at the Holiday Inn Express in Salem, Rulli’s hometown, totaling $1,711.

He listed stays at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel in Arlington, Va., paid Sept. 13 for $348 and Sept. 15 for $279, and a $601 cost, paid Sept. 20 for the Wallace, a hotel in New York City.

Rulli also listed paying for flights on American Airlines for Sept. 11, $320, and Sept. 19, $259, as well as $629 for a Delta flight, paid Sept. 20, and a $476 car rental fee paid Sept. 11.

Rulli reported a campaign surplus of $174,061 as of Sept. 30.

He still owes $52,450 in campaign debt and hasn’t repaid a $30,400 loan he gave his campaign Dec. 15.

Kripchak entered the third quarter with a $3,811 debt and left it with a larger debt of $6,775.

During the quarter, Kripchak raised $26,862 and spent $29,825.

His largest expenses were $12,000 to Colossus Strategies and Consulting of Canfield for consulting and fundraising, and $5,415 to PC Signs of Cincinnati for signs.

Overall, Kripchak raised $63,517 and spent $70,292 for his campaign as of Sept. 30.

The 6th Congressional District includes all of Mahoning, Columbiana, Carroll, Jefferson, Belmont, Harrison, Monroe, Noble and Washington counties and portions of Stark and Tuscarawas counties

The district has an 18 percent advantage for Republicans based on voting trends in partisan statewide elections during the past decade. The seat is considered safe for Republicans.