The three men seeking the open state House seat in the 8th District have received varying contribution amounts.

Jeff Black, a consultant from Grove City, had the most money at his disposal, according to his latest campaign expense report filed May 9, the deadline for state office candidates in Tuesday’s primary.

The Friends of Jeff Black committee received $19,400 up to May 5.

The committee supporting Tedd Nesbit, an attorney from Grove City, has received $11,815 in campaign contributions.

Herman Bauer of Franklin Township had significantly less money. He reported receiving $3,454.

Black’s two largest supporters each made donations of at least $2,500.

Eric Lindh of Grove City gave Black a total of $2,540. Lindh is the owner of Elephant and Castle in Springfield Township, Mercer County. Roger Lindh of Grove City also donated $2,500. Other notable contributors to Black were Timothy Schell of Grove City, who donated $2,000, and Black’s mother, Susan Black, who donated $1,200.

Black received 14 donations exceeding $250 and 31 donations under $250.

Nesbit was mostly financed through 13 contributions of more than $250, totaling $9,625.

Attorney John Whalen of Mercer was his largest contributor, donating $2,500.

Nesbit also received $1,000 contributions from Lee McCracken and James Molloy, both of Grove City.

Nesbit received 26 donations of $250 or less, totaling $2,190.

Richard Jewell, the president of Grove City College, gave both Black and Nesbit $500.

The majority of Bauer’s contributions were through donations of less than $250. Those 10 donations totaled $2,054.

He received three donations larger than $250.

Calvin Hastings of Pittsburgh and the Dillon McCandless King Coulter and Graham law firm in Butler each gave $500.

William Adams of Portersville gave $400.

While Black received the most contributions, Nesbit is the biggest spender in the race. Nesbit spent all but $339 of his contributions on his campaign.

The biggest expenses centered on campaign signs and mailers. Nesbit paid $2,900 for 1,100 yard signs and stakes. He also paid $2,279 for mailers.

Black spent $5,575 on his campaign, leaving his committee with a balance of $13,825. He also received nearly $4,900 worth of in-kind contributions.

Nesbit received about $4,500 of in-kind contributions, mostly from Chris Ithen of Grove City for $4,000 worth of rent at Ithen’s West Broad Street property in Grove City.

However, Black’s committee has outstanding debts more than $8,700. More than $8,400 of that is owed to Hallowell and Branstetter, a direct mail firm based in Camp Hill, Cumberland County.

Bauer’s committee spent more money than it had contributed. Its $5,157 in expenditures left the committee with a cash balance of negative $1,703 at the time the report was filed.

Bauer spent about $2,000 on yard signs, and more than $1,100 on postage.

The committee also had $4,285 in unpaid debts listed to Bauer for a personal loan to the campaign.

In Butler County, the district covers Brady, Center, Cherry, Clay, Franklin, Marion, Mercer, Muddy Creek and Worth townships and Harrisville, Portersville, West Liberty and West Sunbury. It also covers southeastern Mercer County, including Grove City.

The candidates are seeking to follow state Rep. Dick Stevenson, a Republican, who is retiring.