Money Talks

Financials are in and money talks in politics.  Though maybe a bit less so for the Republicans because of the nature of a convention, however it does show where the support is going based on giving.  Here are the candidates and how much cash they have on hand:

GOVERNOR:

• Ken Cuccinelli:  $1,178,624 (with a whopping 4,375 contributions)
• Terry McAuliffe:  $1,039,740

LT. GOVERNOR:

• Jeannemarie Davis: $81,941
• EW Jackson:  $17,192
• Scott Lingamfelter:  $101,175
• Steve Martin:  $18,604
• Pete Snyder:  $408,332 (!)
• Corey Stewart:  $405,407
• Susan Stimpson:  $45,769
• Aneesh Chopra:  $714,864 (!!!)
• Ralph Northam:  >unavailable< (he does have $200,606 in his Senate account)

ATTORNEY GENERAL:

• Rob Bell:  $752,113
• Mark Obenshain:  $246,635
• Mark Herring:  $207,296
• Justin Fairfax:  $106,061

WINNERS:  The most impressive hauls, for me, are Ken Cuccinelli and Aneesh Chopra.  Cuccinelli now has more cash on hand than Terry McAuliffe and did so by nearly tripling the number of contributors.  Ever since Bolling dropped, Cuccinelli has pretty much kept his head low and focused on raising money.  Chopra's haul is incredible, especially for an LG candidate.  Moreso than any other Democratic candidate, he will have access to the Obama machine in Virginia.  While Northam might bang his chest about being a doctor and stopping the transvaginal stuff from last year, he was also an errant tweet away from becoming a Republican.  Chopra will be a formidable candidate.  (Honorable mention:  Pete Snyder)

LOSERS:  Clearly they are Mark Herring and Steve Martin.  Both are Richmond insiders, both should have a huge base to themselves (suburban Richmond and Washington DC) and both have thrown up on themselves here.  Even more embarrassing for Herirng is that when you take out the money from his Senate campaign ($131,478), little known Justin Fairfax actually out-raised him.  Herring is running strictly on his region but he's not that well known even here and he hasn't made any kind of splash in the General Assembly.  Democrats are looking for someone different and have had success with candidates who are different.  I don't think little-known Justin Fairfax will win the nomination, but Herring is just plain lazy and it doesn't bode well running against either Obenshain or Bell, who are both very hard campaigners.  Fairfax just feels like one of those candidates who grassroots will flock too.

The Martin showing is also especially embarrassing for a guy that for years has been angling on moving up in the political world.  Unlike Herring, Martin is well established in Richmond and from everything I've heard, he is that crowd's favorite.  He's also the only candidate from the region that will have the least amount of travel to get to the convention.  Right now lesser-known county candidates are outraising and outhustling him.  Conventions don't need a lot of money, but I'd rather have Pete Snyder's cash haul than Martin. (Honorable mention: Susan Stimpson)

 

 

Comments

[Rick]

Did you notice the timeframes though? McAuliffe raised his in a month. Ken has been fundraising since the summer.

[Chris]

I did. I also noticed that most of Ken's givers are under $100 while T-Mac's top 700 donors all gave over $2000. Shows where the people's money is going versus the powerful.

[James Lightweis]

ew jackson 17,000 lol