From DPVA:
June 2, 2015
Democratic efforts to re-take the Senate and make gains in the House of Delegates were bolstered by strong fundraising numbers posted in the latest pre-primary filing report. As we approach the June 9th primary and look ahead to the general election, there is clear support for the Democratic message of creating good jobs, protecting our children’s education, and supporting critical transportation investments. The Republican strategy — extreme attacks on women’s rights, restricting access to voting and denying quality healthcare to hundreds of thousands of Virginians — is falling behind.
1. Democratic incumbents are in good shape.
- Senator Lynwood Lewis has a 3-to-1 cash advantage over his challenger, both for this filing period and overall cash-on-hand.
- Senator John Edwards erased the gains made by his challenger in Q1, outraising her by over $32,000 for this report.
- In SD-1, challenger Mark Matney continued to be a non-factor as Senator John Miller easily outraised him.
2. Democratic challengers are performing in crucial races that will determine control of the Senate.
- In SD-13, Leesburg pediatrician Dr. Jill McCabe outraised Dick Black for the second report in a row, pulling in nearly $100,000 in the two-month reporting period.
- In Virginia Beach, Gary McCollum continues to be the top performing challenger in the Commonwealth from any party, easily clearing $100,000 on top of last quarter's incredible $250,000 haul.
- Mayor Kim Adkins, running in SD-20, outraised Senator Bill Stanley this quarter by almost $10,000 and is keeping pace in cash-on-hand.
3. Virginia Republicans are missing crucial opportunities in seats with contested Democratic primaries.
As Democratic primaries take place in Senate Districts 10 and 29, the Republicans' chosen candidates are falling behind and already stumbling out of the gate for the general election.
- Hal Parrish, after taking center stage in a bizarre anti-choice zoning debacle in Manassas, spent more than he raised this period.
- Glen Sturtevant only has $72,000 cash on hand, far below expectations.
4. Democratic House contenders are contending.
It's not just good news in the Senate — strong House of Delegates candidates have built an impressive foundation heading into the general election. Some noteworthy House numbers:
- Delegate Kathleen Murphy (HD-34) raised $66,016, more than $24,000 ahead of her opponent. She was also recently endorsed by the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce’s Political Action Committee.
- Jennifer Boysko (HD-86 candidate) raised $56,834, bringing her total to nearly five times that of her opponent with significantly more of it from small donors.
- John Bell (HD-87 candidate) turned heads with a resounding entrance into the race, pulling in over $50,000 in less than three weeks.
Across the board, Democratic legislators and candidates are in a strong position heading into the general election.
Sign up for the Blue Virginia weekly newsletter
