WASHINGTON — Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, has raised more than $900,000 in his bid to retain Utah's 2nd District seat, giving him the biggest war chest so far of the state's U.S. House races for this year's election.

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All House candidates with more than $5,000 in contributions had to file reports with the Federal Elections Commission by midnight Saturday, listing contributions received and expenditures made during the first quarter of 2006.

Matheson received $172,837 in the first quarter, putting his contributions for this election at $924,201.91. He has $781,762 cash on hand, according to his report.

The largest contributor to Matheson's campaign was the Pricewaterhouse Coopers political action committee, which donated $5,000 this period. He also received substantial support from PACs established by banks and bank employees, investment firms, unions and energy companies.

"I am pleased that a variety of support from across the political spectrum are responding to my candidacy," Matheson said in a statement. "With this strong level of support, I will once again be able to aggressively get out my message during the coming months."

Matheson's challenger state Rep. LaVar Christensen, a Republican, raised $9,450 since Jan. 1 and has received $35,750 in contributions for this election, according to his report. He has $168,843 cash on hand. Christensen has lent his campaign more than $150,000 so far and has $161,056 in total campaign debt.

All of his donations came from three south Salt Lake County residents: $5,000 from attorney William Rawlings and $2,100 each from Jed Bindrup, a plastic surgeon, and his wife, Ann. He received no money from PACs.