A longtime aide to U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe marched quickly through the 2002 campaign starting gate, raising more than $75,000 in the first three weeks of his bid to win the 2nd congressional District seat being vacated by John Baldacci, who is running for governor.

Raye, a Brewer Republican, raised the most money among GOP candidates for the seat, according to preliminary filings at the Federal Election Commission, required for candidates who raised more than $45,000 between Jan. 1 and June 30.

It exceeded the total of the entire campaign contributions to the Republican who sought the House seat in 2000, Dick Campbell of Holden, who raised $70,867 in his losing battle against Baldacci.

The leading 2nd District fund- raiser so far this year on the Democratic side is Senate President Michael Michaud of East Millinocket.

Aide Peter Chandler said Michaud was not required to file a campaign statement because he announced his candidacy so late, but that his contributions have topped $70,000 during the past few weeks. “He focused on the session before he went out aggressively to raise money. Now he is working hard, sometimes hitting two or three counties a day,” Chandler said.

The Raye and Michaud fund-raising dwarfed other congressional candidates’ efforts reported this week.

Democratic Sen. John Nutting of Leeds reported contributions of $48,529 and Sen. Susan Longley of Liberty reported contributions of $34,314. The only other Republican reporting to the FEC was Timothy Woodcock of Bangor, a lawyer and former mayor, with contributions of $15, 018.

The biggest surprise was the effort from Raye, who has worked behind the scenes for Snowe for 17 years, but remains a political unknown to many voters. He reported that 229 individual contributors donated $65,789 and 11 political action committees added $9,250.

“I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of support in just the first three weeks since becoming candidate,” Raye said. “I am confident that I will be able to wage the kind of strong and effective campaign it will take to win this seat in 2002,” Raye said.

Raye is an Eastport native who has worked in Snowe’s Bangor and Washington offices and was Snowe’s chief of staff for more than six years. “I believe that with my experience I will be ready on day one to fight for Maine,” Raye said.

On the Democratic side, Nutting said, “I was the first candidate to announce in March and the word was that, although I was an accomplished legislator, I would have difficulty raising money. This campaign finance report will dispel those rumors. With a full 10 months before the race, I have already raised 30 percent of the previous record amount for the 2nd congressional District primary.”

Nutting attributed his early fund-raising success to the same work ethic he employed as a legislator and dairy farmer. With his wife, Sandy, Nutting operates Androscoggin Holsteins dairy farm in Leeds.

Right behind Nutting is Longley, who will have strong name recognition because she is the daughter of the late Gov. James Longley and sister of former U.S. Rep. James Longley Jr.

“In that I only began this in mid-June as the Legislature adjourned, it is very gratifying to receive these fast expressions of support from over 150 financial contributors from all around the state. The willingness of these donors to invest in this early exploration phase is heart-warming, and I gratefully and honestly view their early contributions as investments in my top goal of helping more Maine citizens qualify for better-paying Maine jobs,” Longley said.

Democratic candidates who have expressed interest but did not file include Mary Cathcart of Orono, state senator and 1994 candidate for the seat; Sean Faircloth of Bangor, former state senator and 1996 U.S. Senate candidate; Pat McGowan of York and Pittsfield, former state representative and regional administrator of the Small Business Administration, who ran unsuccessfully for the seat in 1990 and 1992; Kaleigh Tara, Lewiston mayor; and Paul Tessier of Fairfield, state representative and state Democratic vice chairman.