President Donald Trump's impeachment trial and the coronavirus pandemic whipsawed the American public in the first three months, but did not change the basic shape of Arizona's Senate race, at least financially.

Democrat Mark Kelly widened his campaign cash lead over Republican Sen. Martha McSally through March.

Kelly, who is running unopposed by other Democrats, raised $11 million in the first quarter and finished with $19.7 million in cash available, according to figures provided by his campaign.

McSally's campaign told Politico she raised $6.3 million and finished with $10.2 million in cash.

Details of where the money came from, and when it came in, won't be available until both campaigns file their quarterly reports with the Federal Election Commission by Wednesday night.

Still, the latest numbers suggest that even though McSally suspended portions of her campaign activities on March 18 because of the health crisis, her efforts continue to cost noticeably more than Kelly's operations.

Kelly has led all Senate candidates nationwide in fundraising since he entered the race last year.

But the impeachment trial, the pandemic, a Trump visit, as well as McSally's high-profile slight toward CNN reporter Manu Raju in January, added an air of suspense to the latest fundraising numbers.

A series of polls taken in March all show Kelly leading McSally with advantages outside the margin of error. McSally is trying to hold on to the seat Gov. Doug Ducey appointed her to after her 2018 loss to Democrat Kyrsten Sinema.

The first three months of the year were like a roller coaster for McSally, if not the nation.

On Jan. 16, the day Trump's impeachment trial got underway in the Senate, McSally brushed aside Raju's question of whether senators should consider new evidence gathered since the House had made its case against the president.

In a moment videotaped by CNN and by McSally's aide, McSally dismissed the question in an insulting way.

"Manu, you’re a liberal hack. I’m not talking to you," she said. When Raju pressed for an answer, McSally responded, "You’re a liberal hack buddy."

The incident briefly served as a subplot to the impeachment trial.

McSally helped acquit Trump on the impeachment charges in February, and then stood on stage with the president during a campaign stop in Phoenix a few weeks later.

A month later, however, the coronavirus led McSally to announce that she was suspending TV ads and door-to-door campaigning. Kelly's campaign had also stopped door-knocking, but remained on the air with campaign ads.

While Kelly's campaign continued to add to its financial advantage over McSally's campaign, the National Republican Senatorial Committee on Monday committed $5.7 million to advertising in Arizona beginning June 1 to help bolster her support.

Defend Arizona, a group with deep financial ties to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's allies, also has plans to spend at least $9 million this year as well.

That political-action committee spent nearly $22 million in the 2018 Senate race, the most by any group in that race, and a total that approached McSally's own $29 million campaign total.

While Kelly continues to build his financial lead over McSally, it's likely that outside groups will again dwarf the candidate expenditures by November.

Fundraising figures were not immediately available for Daniel McCarthy, a Republican challenging McSally for the GOP nomination. Through December, his campaign had $35,000 in cash.

Reach the reporter Ronald J. Hansen at ronald.hansen@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4493. Follow him on Twitter @ronaldjhansen.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.