During a visit to the White River Junction VA Medical Center on March 29, 2018, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks to the media about the firing of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin by President Donald Trump. “I myself think that the firing of Shulkin has everything to do with the administration’s desire to privatize the VA, and I think that that is a disastrous idea,” Sanders said. (Valley News - Geoff Hansen) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.

Sen. Bernie Sanders once again led the pack in fundraising in the second quarter of the year.

The Vermont independent had nearly $7.6 million in his war chest at the end of June, according to the most recent filings with the Federal Election Commission.

Over the course of three months, Sanders raised $1.4 million. The entire amount came in the form of contributions from individuals, according to his campaign.

He has continued his strategy from his 2016 presidential bid of asking supporters for small donations of $27.

Sanders, who has sworn off donations from committees associated with corporations, reported no money from political action committees. The campaign reported operating expenditures of $749,187, largely to pay for staff salaries. The campaign also spent money on travel expenses.

Sanders does not face any major opposition in the race, though there are five others who have filed to run.

Folasade Adeluola is the only candidate facing Sanders in the Democratic primary. H. Brooke Paige, Jasdeep Pannu, Lawrence Zupan and Rocky de la Fuente are running as Republicans.

None of the other 2018 Senate contenders filed financial disclosures.

Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., had nearly $2.1 million in his campaign coffers at the end of the reporting period.

He raised a total of $129,798 in the second quarter of the year. Welch netted $70,298 in contributions from individuals. An additional came from $59,500 from political action committees.

Welch’s total campaign operating expenses came to $65,729, largely spent on staff.

The congressman also distributed some of his money to other campaign committees. He transferred $100,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. An additional $10,000 went to the Vermont Democratic Party.

Dan Freilich, a Veterans Affairs doctor who is challenging Welch in the Democratic Primary, reported raising $5,638 this quarter. His campaign’s operating expenses totaled $10,179.

His campaign finished the period $1,269 in debt.

Ben Mitchell, who also is running the Democratic primary, did not file a disclosure. The two candidates who have filed to run as Republicans in the race, Anya Tynio and H. Brooke Paige, also did not file.

Sen. Patrick Leahy, who has four more years before his current term expires, closed out the quarter with nearly $1.7 million in his coffers.

He raised a total of $18,988 this quarter, evenly split between PACs and individuals.