The Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP) is reporting pre-primary campaign finance disclosures that were due at 5 p.m. today. See the “flip” for a press release from the McAuliffe campaign, which announces that he raised $3.7 million during this period (85% of donors gave $100 or less). According to VPAP, McAuliffe had $5,406,481 cash on hand as of May 29. For his part, Teapublican gubernatorial nominee Ken Cuccinelli raised $2.2 million ($1.5 million less than McAuliffe raised) and had $2.7 million cash on hand (about half of McAuliffe’s cash on hand). A few other highlights from the VPAP reports:

*Nearly half of Cuccinelli’s money came from one source, the Republican Governor’s Association – clocking in at a cool $1 million. Other big Cuccinelli donors included the usual assortment of polluters (e.g., $25k from Alpha Natural Resources) and bad actors (e.g., $50k from this guy and $25k from this close friend of Clarence Thomas).

*Aneesh Chopra raised $522,826 and had $427,265 cash on hand. His Democratic Party primary opponent, Ralph Northam, raised $334,102 (nearly $200k less than Chopra), but that included a $100,000 loan from Northam himself. Northam’s campaign had $151,505 on hand, which is about $275k less than Chopra’s campaign had. Not good signs for Northam at all.

*Chopra had more than 8 times as much cash on hand as Teapublican LG nominee EW Jackson, who had just $54,929 in the bank.

*Mark Herring raised $179,962 and had $229,180 on hand. Herring’s Democratic Party primary opponent, Justin Fairfax, had $92,715 on hand — around $137k less than Herring.

*Mark Herring also had nearly four times the cash on hand as Teapublican Attorney General nominee Mark Obenshain, who had only $68,132. A good sign for the upcoming general election race!

McAuliffe Announces Fundraising Totals; Touts Republican Support

Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe’s campaign announced today that he raised about $3.7 million during the pre-primary period of April 1 – May 29.  About 85% of donors gave $100 or less. Monday’s endorsement of Terry McAuliffe by prominent Republicans Dwight Schar, former RNC Finance Chair, and Earle Williams, former candidate for GOP nomination for Governor of Virginia, reinforces the stark contrast between McAuliffe’s mainstream agenda of growing the economy and Ken Cuccinelli and E.W. Jackson’s focus on dividing Virginians with their extreme social agenda.  

“Virginians from all walks of life are looking for their next Governor to be focused on growing our economy, improving education and reducing transportation gridlock,” said Terry McAuliffe. “That is why we are continuing to see so much support from Republicans and Democrats across the state who want their Governor to find mainstream solutions to the problems they care about.”

McAuliffe campaign spokesperson Josh Schwerin commented, “Republicans and Democrats alike are demanding candidates like Terry who will work across the aisle to tackle the challenges Virginians face. The GOP ticket of Cuccinelli, Jackson, and Obenshain has and will continue to divide Virginians by driving their own extreme social agenda.” Schwerin added, “While Ken Cuccinelli is recruiting extremists like EW Jackson to partner with him on a divisive social agenda, Terry McAuliffe is recruiting mainstream Republicans and Democrats to join his campaign focused on putting jobs first.”

From the McAuliffe for Governor campaign: 

Republicans Dwight Schar and Earle Williams, leading Virginia businessmen and long-time Republicans endorsed Terry McAuliffe for Governor on Monday.

Schar, who served as RNC Finance Chair from 2005-2007 and was a major supporter of Republican Governor Bob McDonnell in 2009, cited McAuliffe’s commitment to finding “mainstream solutions” to the challenges Virginians face as reason for the switch. Schar urged Republicans and Democrats alike to join him in his support McAuliffe.

Earle Williams, who ran for the GOP nomination for Governor of Virginia in 1993, a supporter of Republican Bob McDonnell's gubernatorial candidacy, and who formerly was the President and CEO of BDM International, announced his support for McAuliffe because he knows that McAuliffe will work with both sides of the aisle as Governor. He stated, the “future of Virginia depends on this election and transcends matters of Party preference” and commented that Virginia “cannot afford to have a new Governor who will continue to use his political office to obstruct vital transportation and infrastructure improvements because of his personal ideological agenda” in reference to Republican candidate Ken Cuccinelli.

Statement from Dwight Schar:

“As a Republican and especially as a Virginia businessman, I am supporting Terry McAuliffe for Governor.  Terry is going to work with both parties to enact mainstream solutions that reduce traffic, improve our schools, and develop our workforce for the global marketplace.  Ken Cuccinelli's ideological agenda has divided Virginians and blocked progress on education and transportation for long enough.  Cuccinelli's focus on extreme social issues will distract from urgent economic matters and make Virginia less welcoming to business.  Virginia's economic challenges require Terry McAuliffe's leadership and I call on all Virginians–Republicans and Democrats–to join me in supporting Terry for Governor.”

Statement from Earle Williams:

“I am supporting Terry McAuliffe for Governor because he has pledged to work with Republicans and Democrats alike to make sure that Virginia's economy remains resilient in the 21st century. As a businessman and Republican, I care that Terry will focus on attracting and keeping the most innovative companies in Virginia. We cannot afford to have a new Governor who will continue to use his political office to obstruct vital transportation and infrastructure improvements because of his personal ideological agenda. We need a leader who will hear all sides of the issues and work with the Legislature to find solutions that will move Virginia in the right direction for the benefit of all Virginia citizens. The future of Virginia depends on this election and transcends matters of Party preference. That is why I urge all Virginians to join me in voting for Terry McAuliffe for Governor–a vote for a bright future for the Commonwealth.” 

“I am honored to have the support of so many Virginians from both parties who realize that we have to focus on mainstream compromise in order to grow Virginia's economy in the 21st Century. As Governor, I'll always work with both parties to find solutions on the issues Virginians care about, like education, transportation, and economic development,” said Terry McAuliffe. 

Background on Dwight Schar:

Schar, the founder and Executive Chairman of NVR Inc, a Fortune 500 company that is the fifth-largest home builder in the United States, has been a long-time supporter of Republican candidates across the nation and in Virginia. From 2005-2007, Schar was the National Finance Chair of the Republican National Committee, and has been an ally of Republican Governor Bob McDonnell. During McDonnell’s bid for governor in 2009, Schar was a major supporter of his campaign, and hosted a fundraiser at his McLean home for McDonnell that was headlined by Bobby Jindal.

Background on Earle Williams:

Earle Williams is the former President and CEO of BDM International, and in 1993 ran for the Republican nomination for Governor of Virginia. Williams also endorsed Republican Bob McDonnell during his gubernatorial campaign in 2009. Williams previously worked at the Standard Oil Company before joining BDM International in 1962, which he grew into an over $1 billion company, and is currently a Senior Advisory Board member of the Northern Virginia Technology Council. 

Here’s a graph of past voter turnout in Virginia Democratic primaries. Obviously, 2009 turnout – with a heated gubernatorial contest and tons of money spent on advertising – was wayyyy higher than what we’ll probably see this year, but I’m thinking that 2001 or 2005 could be in the range. What do you think? Are you sensing much interest and/or awareness in next Tuesday’s Virginia Democratic primary? More or less than in previous primary years?