With election day three weeks away, the two Republican incumbents in the competitive state House races in the New River Valley continue to hold money advantages over their challengers.

But the campaign finance discrepancies in the two races in the 6th and 7th districts are much different.

In the 7th District race, Del. Dave Nutter, R-Christiansburg, outraised his Democratic challenger, lawyer Peggy Frank, by a 3-to-1 ratio -- $15,858 to $5,117 -- over the most recent reporting period, which covers the month of September. But over the entire campaign, the two candidates have raised almost the same amount: Nutter has raised $70,755 and Frank $67,643, according to the Virginia Public Access Project (vpap.org), a political finance database.

Heading into the final weeks of the campaign, however, the VPAP numbers show that Nutter has more than $50,000 left to spend, while Frank has less than $25,000. Frank's campaign, however, appears to be gearing up for a late push through the House Democratic Caucus, which historically helps mastermind political strategy. Frank's campaign contributed $21,600 to the caucus in recent days as several other state Democratic candidates made sizable donations to the caucus, according to the VPAP data.

During the reporting period, Frank had only two $1,000 contributors: Blacksburg's Thomas Piccariello and Bland County's Clinton Kegley. Piccariello has given a total of $1,500 to Frank's campaign. Kegley has contributed $1,750.

Nutter got seven contributions of $1,000 or more in September. He received $2,750 from PACs and $1,750 from companies.

Sandra Cupp Davis of Blacksburg was Nutter's top contributor for the month, giving his campaign $1,500 in September -- a total of $2,500 for the campaign. Blacksburg lawyer Joe Painter gave Nutter $1,250 during the month -- $2,000 this campaign cycle. Nancy Showalter gave $1,000 -- $1,250 for the campaign. Omega Long and Elizabeth Newton, both of Blacksburg, each added $1,000.

PACs representing the Virginia League of Conservation Voters and the Virginia Automobile & Truck Dealers each gave Nutter $1,000. Before this reporting period, the automobile and truck dealers had given $10,000 or more to 11 candidates. The conservation PAC had contributed to only one other Republican this cycle -- and he received $409 worth of phone calls and staff time.

In the 6th District, Democratic challenger Bill Thomas raised more than twice as much in September as incumbent Del. Annie Crockett-Stark -- but most of it came from his own pocket. And Crockett-Stark, R-Wytheville, still has about $20,000 more on hand than Thomas does.

Crockett-Stark raised $6,175 in September. Thomas raised $22,187. Over the campaign, Crockett-Stark has raised $61,872, and Thomas has raised $27,807, according to VPAP.

Crockett-Stark collected $3,000 from political action committees, including $2,000 from the state dentists' PAC in September.

Thomas' largest contributors were himself and John R. Warner -- no address listed, but not to be confused with the U.S. senator with the same first and last names. Thomas put his second $10,000 into the campaign. Warner added $1,000.

Campaign events:

Montgomery County School Board candidates joined supervisor hopefuls Monday night at Blacksburg town hall for a forum sponsored by the local chapters of the League of Women Voters, NAACP and Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy. Comcast cable subscribers can watch rebroadcasts of the forum on WTOB Channel 2 on these dates: 3 p.m. Oct. 25; 8 p.m Oct. 26; 3 p.m. Oct. 28; and 3 p.m. Nov. 4.

Montgomery County Democratic candidates plan a meet-and-greet in the parking lot of the old Riverway store on Prices Fork Road from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday.

The Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce will sponsor a forum for state legislative candidates and others at 7 p.m. Oct. 23 in the Richardson Auditorium at New River Community College.

Staff writer Tonia Moxley contributed to this report.