Very interesting info from ActBlue, which finds that “In Virginia, Democrats ran on abortion rights — and donors responded — giving more than they ever have before.” Also interesting: “262k Americans donated at least once to a candidate from Virginia through ActBlue in 2023, a 56.8 percent increase year over year.” And “Nearly a quarter of donors who live in Virginia were first-time donors, showing how enthusiasm for Democratic candidates committed to defending reproductive rights is expanding our coalition.” Good stuff!
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In Virginia, Democrats ran on abortion rights — and donors responded — giving more than they ever have before in the process and helping Democrats win back the General Assembly.
When comparing Virginia fundraising in 2023 to 2019, the last comparable election year in the closely followed off-year election state, donors gave more to Democratic candidates and the groups that support candidates, both in terms of total dollars raised and the number of individuals who chose to contribute. The message was clear: Democrats won by putting abortion on the ballot in Virginia, and small-dollar donors showed up for the causes that matter most to them.
As they centered their campaigns on protecting access to abortion, Democratic candidates and causes raised $44.6 million through ActBlue in 2023, compared to $30.2 million in 2019, an increase of 47.5 percent. Similarly, 262k Americans donated at least once to a candidate in Virginia through ActBlue in 2023, a 56.8 percent increase year over year.
Nearly a quarter of donors who live in Virginia were first-time donors, showing how enthusiasm for Democratic candidates committed to defending reproductive rights is expanding our coalition.
There was a spike in first-time donors in Virginia in 2023 compared to 2019 – nearly 25,000 people donated through ActBlue for the first time, representing 21.2 percent of all Virginia donors in 2023.
From supporting efforts to enshrine abortion rights in a state constitution and expanding and defending state-level Democratic leadership to block the further erosion of reproductive rights, to supporting federal candidates who would fight to restore national abortion protections, donors made their voices heard last year. It’s clear that abortion is a motivating issue for the grassroots community, and it’s likely to be a key issue up and down the ballot and in states across the country during this year’s election.
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