WASHINGTON - Wyoming U.S. Rep. Barbara Cubin has spent nearly $600,000 more than Democratic challenger Ted Ladd in the election battle that will conclude one week from today.

Cubin has spent $755,292, while Ladd has spent $157,431, according to the latest and most comprehensive reports from the Federal Election Commission.

The report, which was released Thursday, reveals that Cubin had $69,260 remaining in her coffers, while Ladd had $149,008.

While Cubin noted that Ladd had received $36,250 from Massachusetts residents, Ladd countered that 64 percent, or $523,224, of the $812,302 Cubin collected has come from large corporations and national political groups.

Cubin highlighted the money that Ladd received from Massachusetts residents to tie him with Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., and liberal icon Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass. Cubin aides also noted that many of the Wyoming residents who gave Ladd money live near Jackson.

"The fund-raising proves Ted Ladd is not a statewide candidate. He is a Massachusetts and Teton County candidate," Cubin campaign spokesman Joe Milczewski said. "Massachusetts does not need another representative in Congress. They have Ted Kennedy and John Kerry, and they are doing enough damage as is."

Ladd said the money he received from Massachusetts is from relatives.

"I have a couple of aunts, a couple of uncles and some cousins," said Ladd, who lived in Dover, Mass., until he was 10. "I think I have more relatives in Wyoming than I do in Massachusetts."

Retired Boston investment banker Richard Doll said he gave Ladd $250 because of his friendship with and respect for Ladd's father. Doll and Ladd's father worked together at Standish, Ayer & Wood, an investment banking company.

"I gave the money because I have known his father for decades," Doll said. "His father is one of the finest men I've met, and I don't believe the apple falls far from the tree."

When asked if he was afraid that the Massachusetts contributions would hurt his bid to unseat Cubin, Ladd laughed, said "no," and highlighted the money Cubin had received from corporations.

"I am running against a woman who collected $476,000 from companies, most of which are not located in the state," Ladd said.

Cubin has collected money from organizations of employees from companies such as energy company Anadarko Petroleum Corp., railroad company Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp., and drug company Smithcline Beecham Corp.

Cubin spokesman Milczewski defended the donations from the companies' employees.

"Those are companies that do business in Wyoming and employ a lot of Wyoming citizens," Milczewski said. "She is looking out for the people who rely on those companies to put food on the table."

Despite his criticism of Cubin, Ladd was reluctant to say he would shun similar donations in the future if he defeats Cubin.

"I think I might," Ladd said. "It depends on what the legislation is at the time."

Ladd tied the donations that Cubin has received to policies that he says are good for corporations and bad for average Cowboy State residents. He specifically cited a prescription drug benefit that Cubin voted for.

Ladd also said Cubin took large sums from energy companies and then put the companies' interests ahead of average Wyoming citizens.

He said that when it came to public access to Bureau of Land Management land, Cubin-supported measures had helped energy companies and hurt hunters and anglers. He also said she had not done enough to get companies to move their headquarters to Wyoming.

"We have the leverage - she has the leverage - to have these companies bring their headquarters to Wyoming," Ladd said.

He called for her to support a provision in an energy policy bill that would expedite applications for permits to drill for companies that have backroom operations in the states where they drill.

Washington bureau reporter Ted Monoson can be reached at (202) 544-6919 or at monoson@trib.com.