U.S. Reps. Conor Lamb and Mike Kelly have enormous cash advantages over potential challengers, according to the latest campaign finance reports

U.S. Reps. Conor Lamb and Mike Kelly have enormous cash advantages over the challengers hoping to unseat them, according to the latest Federal Election Commission quarterly filings.

Lamb, D-17, Mount Lebanon, has more than $500,000 more than one Republican candidate while the other GOP challenger in that race registered his committee after the reporting period ended and The Times exposed his criminal record.

Records show that Lamb has $563,345 in available cash after raising about $261,000 during July, August and September, and spending about $131,000.

Lamb’s campaign war chest dwarfs that of Cranberry Township Republican Scott Timko, who reported having just $5,059 in cash after raising $8,920 and spending $13,440. Timko also reported loaning his campaign $600 since forming his committee on April 2.

The 17th Congressional District includes Beaver County, part of Cranberry Township in Butler County and a large portion of Allegheny County. Lamb, who easily defeated then-Republican U.S. Rep. Keith Rothfus in November 2018, will be up for re-election in 2020.

Early handicapping considers the seat safe for Lamb with both the Capitol Hill website Roll Call and the Cook Political Report listing it as “likely Democratic.”

Brian Thomsen, an Ingram Republican looking to challenge Lamb, just formed a committee on Oct. 6, the day after The Times reported that he is on 24 months of probation in North Carolina after pleading guilty to multiple charges of larceny and cheat-property/services in Chatham County District Court.

Thomsen was initially charged in July 2018 by the Chatham County sheriff’s office with 12 counts of felony embezzlement after farmers reportedly gave him money for the All-American Agriculture Association cooperative and he used it for other purposes.

In an interview with The Times, Thomsen admitted to commingling cooperative funds with his personal finances while trying to support his family and get the business up and running, but insisted he did not intend to defraud anyone.

Thomsen said he paid $500 in restitution to each of the 13 farmers who filed complaints with the sheriff.

Kelly, R-16, Butler, has an even bigger cash advantage than Lamb and faces a similar situation, with one Democratic challenger raising far less and another registering her campaign after the period ended.

Campaign records had Kelly with nearly $795,000 in cash as of Sept. 30 after raising $378,000 and spending just under $118,000 during the quarter.

In comparison, Adams Township Democrat Daniel Smith Jr. had just $10,180 in cash after raising about $18,000 and spending slightly more than $11,000 for the period. Erie Democrat Kristy Gnibus formed a committee and announced her candidacy earlier this month so she had no report.

Roll Call has the 16th Congressional District seat listed as “solid Republican” and the Cook Political Report describes it as “likely Republican.” The district includes Lawrence, Mercer, Crawford and Erie counties and parts of Butler County.

In November, Kelly beat Erie attorney Ron DiNicola 52 to 47 percent.