Latest news with #Democrats'
Los Angeles Times
3 hours ago
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Democrats in Virginia have a hefty fundraising advantage heading into November general election
RICHMOND, Va. — Democrats in Virginia have built up a hefty fundraising advantage for their effort to reclaim the governor's mansion in a November election that is seen as a bellwether for the party in power in Washington ahead of the 2026 midterms. Democrat Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA spy turned congresswoman, has a more than 2-to-1 fundraising advantage over her GOP opponent for governor, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, who has struggled to draw support from her fellow Republicans. Both were unopposed for their party's nominations and were able to focus on the fall general election without having to overcome a challenge in this week's primaries. The match-up means Virginia is all but certain to elect the state's first female governor. Spanberger has amassed $6.5 million toward her campaign for governor over the last two months after raising $6.7 million between January and March, according to the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project. Combined with the money Spanberger raised in 2024, she has gathered $22.8 million and still has $14.3 million in her coffers. Earle-Sears, meanwhile, spent more than she earned between April and June, bringing in $3.5 million and spending $4.6 million. Between January and March, she also raised a little over $3.1 million. In total, she has raked in nearly $9.2 million since launching her campaign last September. Now, she has a little under $3 million in the bank, according to Virginia Public Access Project data. In a statement, Earle-Sears' campaign said the candidate is putting forward a message for Virginians that money can't buy. 'Clearly the Spanberger campaign needs a lot of help attempting to erase Abigail's bad voting record on issues that actually matter to Virginians,' press secretary Peyton Vogel said in an email. 'This race isn't being bought — it's being built on a message that matters.' Virginia is one of two states, along with New Jersey, that host statewide elections this year. The contests will be closely watched as a measure of whether voters in the shadow of Washington will embrace President Trump's aggressive effort to overhaul the federal government, or be repelled by it. Democrats' outsized fundraising lead ahead of the primaries may reflect local Democratic enthusiasm and the party's ability to push people to the polls in light of Trump being in office. Mark J. Rozell, dean of George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government, also referenced the noticeable frostiness among leading state Republicans. The party's statewide nominees have yet to campaign together, despite securing their nominations at the end of April. 'Enthusiasm drives fundraising and in Virginia right now the Democrats' voting base has much greater enthusiasm' than Republicans, Rozell said. 'It is reminiscent of Trump's first term in office when Democratic fundraising and ultimately voting overwhelmed the Republicans in Virginia.' Money does not guarantee success, however. In the last Virginia governor's race, former Gov. Terry McAuliffe outspent Republican Glenn Youngkin, who had invested $20 million of his own money in the race. Youngkin still clinched the election by nearly two points. Youngkin, who is term-limited from seeking reelection, has offered more than $21,000 in support to Earle-Sears through his political action committee. When asked whether he would donate more, his PAC responded, 'Governor Youngkin is working to elect the entire GOP ticket and is urging all Virginians to support the commonsense team this November to keep Virginia winning.' The Democrats' fundraising advantage isn't confined to the governor's race. State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, who eked out a primary win in a close three-way contest for lieutenant governor, raised nearly $1.8 million in her primary race and has $462,000 remaining. The Republican nominee, conservative talk-radio host John Reid, raised nearly $312,000 since launching his campaign and has $116,000 remaining. The only statewide GOP candidate with a fundraising lead, incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares, has $2.3 million in the bank after raising a total of $4.6 million. His Democratic opponent, Jay Jones, has raised $2.7 million. He had about $493,000 left at the beginning of June, reports show. This year, all three Democratic statewide candidates are backed by Clean Virginia, a political group that pushes for clean energy and often takes on legislative challenges against Dominion Energy, Virginia's largest utility. The two groups are some of the most influential entities lobbying on state politics and policy. With energy demand likely to be a key issue in November, their influence could be significant. According to the nonpartisan public-access group, Spanberger has taken in $465,000 from the environmental organization. On Tuesday, Clean Virginia endorsed Hashmi's candidacy for lieutenant governor, following its previous donations to her state Senate campaign committee. During his campaign, Jones also received $1.5 million from Clean Virginia, while his primary opponent, Democrat Shannon Taylor, accepted $800,000 from Dominion Energy between 2024 and 2025. Clean Virginia released attack ads targeting Taylor for accepting Dominion money. The energy utility has become entangled in other statewide battles. On the Republican ticket, Earle-Sears accepted $50,000 from Dominion in March. Miyares also gained $450,000 from the utility so far this year. Clean Virginia has donated to both Democrats and Republicans, including to candidates running for the House of Delegates, where all 100 members are up for reelection in November. Democrats who control the legislature are hoping to keep or expand their thin majority and amend the state's Constitution to protect rights to voting, marriage equality and abortion. Democratic candidates have raised about $16.9 million in those races, with $3.2 million stemming from House Speaker Don Scott. Meanwhile, Republicans have raised $8.8 million, with former Minority Leader Todd Gilbert earning over $643,000, and newly tapped Minority Leader Terry Kilgore raising nearly $470,000. Diaz writes for the Associated Press.
Politico
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Politico
Democrats' Hollywood bash
Good morning and happy Friday. State Democrats are descending on Hollywood (the Broward County version) this weekend for their annual 'Leadership Blue' meeting and fundraiser. It all takes place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino — the same spot where Gov. RON DESANTIS and the Republican Party of Florida often hold events. Not everyone in the party was happy to turn to a host who's given so generously to the GOP. But off to the electric guitar-shaped venue they'll go. NORA VIÑAS, the state party's new communications director, said more than 1,000 Democrats are attending, and that they can expect musical performances on top of the regular program of training and panels. The Florida Democratic Party will also preview their 2025 game plan, which they said involves a 'multimillion-dollar investment to hire local organizers, expand vote-by-mail, register new Democrats and recruit candidates.' The bash kicks off this afternoon with a welcome reception and a live podcast taping with Gen Zers SAM SCHWARTZ, an advocate against gun violence, and AARON PARNAS, a lawyer and TikTok political commentator. This particular part of the program showcases Democrats' own efforts to focus on platforms Republicans successfully used for outreach in 2024. Florida Democrats have struggled in recent cycles. They've fallen behind by 1.3 million active voter registrations, hold no statewide positions and are battling a GOP supermajority in the Legislature. But Viñas said they're feeling encouraged by their overperformance in the pair of special elections from April. 'Democrats showed up and it mattered,' she said. (To be clear: Despite the overperformance, Republicans won both seats.) This weekend, party leaders are hoping to take some lessons from Gov. ANDY BESHEAR of Kentucky, one of the gala's speakers, who knows a little something about winning in a red state as a Democrat. Incidentally, he's also someone who's considering running for president in 2028. Also speaking is Democratic Sen. CORY BOOKER of New Jersey, who caught nationwide attention when he gave a 25-hour, five-minute speech on the Senate floor in protest of the Trump administration. A karaoke after party will follow the VIP reception. Two candidates to watch this weekend are the Democrats who've already announced they're running statewide: former Rep. DAVID JOLLY and teacher JOSH WEIL (more on him below). The two are far apart on the political spectrum; Jolly was once a Republican and Weil is an unapologetic progressive. Still, they've already done events together as they geared up to run. 'We have to build back into every corner of the state and be a party for every Floridian,' Weil said when asked how he felt about the state of the party ahead of the weekend's events. 'And I think [Florida Democratic Party chair NIKKI FRIED] is the right person for the job, and I think she has a great message.' But others heading into town are feeling decidedly more … well, blue. 'No amount of cheerleading on Saturday will overcome the 1.3 million voter registration lead the GOP has in the state,' said one party organizer, granted anonymity to speak candidly. Playbook will be on the ground Saturday reporting on the happenings. Reach out to say hello at kleonard@ WHERE'S RON? Gov. DeSantis held a press conference this morning at Tampa International Airport, after greeting a flight arriving from Israel. Fox News has more: '1,500 Jewish Americans evacuated from Israel as DeSantis sponsors rescue flights to Tampa.' ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... FLORIDA RIVER RESTORATION — 'A Republican state senator who represents north central Florida is already asking Gov. Ron DeSantis to veto millions approved by the Legislature to begin the eventual restoration of the Ocklawaha River,' reports POLITICO's Gary Fineout. 'Christina Johnson, a spokesperson for state Sen. Tom Leek (R-Ormond Beach), confirmed Wednesday that Leek has been communicating with DeSantis' office to 'express his objections against this project, including asking for a veto.' 'In a move that would have been unthinkable a few years ago, the new state budget includes $6.25 million to draw up a plan to remove a section of a dam that now blocks the Ocklawaha River, a tributary of the St. Johns River with a rich history. At one point in time, steamboats would traverse the river and take visitors to Silver Springs.' THREE NEW UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS, FINALLY — 'State university leaders granted final approval Wednesday to three new presidents with connections to the DeSantis administration: former Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez at Florida International University, Marva Johnson at Florida A&M University and Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. as the University of West Florida's interim leader,' reports POLITICO's Andrew Atterbury. 'The confirmation votes from the Board of Governors came without heavy deliberations, even as alumni opposition swells surrounding Johnson's hire and contract, which required special legislation to remedy. These approvals marked a sharp contrast with the state board rejecting former University of Michigan president Santa Ono earlier this month as the University of Florida's prospective president after grilling him for three hours.' SPEAKING OF PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES — 'The Board of Governors, which oversees the state's university system, voted Wednesday to allow Florida public universities to increase a fee out-of-state students pay,' reports Danielle Prieur of Central Florida Public Media. 'Out-of-state students in Florida don't just pay higher tuition, but also a special fee. It's the first time in over a decade these fees are being increased. With the Board of Governors vote, Florida's public universities will be allowed to increase that fee up to 10 percent this fall, and up to 15 percent by the fall of 2026.' RESHUFFLING MILLIONS TOWARD COLLEGE ATHLETICS — 'State leaders opened a new revenue stream Wednesday for Florida universities to reshuffle millions of dollars toward athletics in response to the landmark House v. NCAA settlement,' reports POLITICO's Andrew Atterbury. 'An emergency rule approved by the university system Board of Governors allows schools to use up to $22.5 million generated by auxiliaries like housing and bookstores for paying student athletes as part of the landscape-altering, revenue-sharing model about to reshape college sports. The policy is meant to be a short-term bridge for Florida universities to get ahead of the anticipated July 1 start date and stay competitive with high-powered rivals.' CONSERVATION FUNDS SEE BIG CUT — 'Despite the vast display of bipartisan support for Florida's wild places, lawmakers on Monday night approved budget cuts to the state's flagship conservation land acquisition program that helps grow and create new state parks,' reports Max Chesnes of the Tampa Bay Times. 'The Florida Forever program is slated to receive $18 million in the upcoming budget year, compared to at least $100 million in funding every year since 2021, according to state documents. The land-buying money falls well short of the additional $100 million DeSantis recommended for the new budget.' — 'Not just a swamp: Everglades worth $31.5 billion to local economy each year, study finds,' by Denise Hruby of the Miami Herald. BIG PRIORITY ULTIMATELY IGNORED THIS SESSION — 'Florida's legislative leaders ushered in this year's session vowing to investigate insurance company profits and holding the industry accountable if it wasn't paying claims,' reports Lawrence Mower of the Tampa Bay Times. 'A House committee held rare hearings to grill the state's current and former insurance regulators. Republicans and regulators proposed several pro-consumer bills. But 105 days later, it didn't amount to much.' One insurer recently asked for a big hike: 'Trusted Resource Underwriters Exchange, which goes by the acronym TRUE, asked state regulators at a June 17 rate hearing to allow the insurer to jack rates up by 31 percent for its multiperil homeowners' insurance for tens of thousands of policyholders when they renew this year,' reports Anne Geggis of the Palm Beach Post. JOB TRAINING CASH INFLUX — 'Five state colleges in Central Florida will receive nearly $10 million after Gov. Ron DeSantis recently handed out grants allowing them to expand career and technical training programs,' reports Gray Rohrer of USA Today Network — Florida. 'The money will go to Eastern Florida State College, Indian River State College, Polk State College, Valencia College and Seminole State College.' — 'How Florida's attempt to let teens sleep longer fell apart,' by Ted Alcorn and Patricia Mazzei of The New York Times. IN DEPTH LOOK AT LIVE LOCAL ACT — Many officials in Florida 'contend there are loopholes in the Live Local Act that enable developers to take advantage of the property-tax breaks and more flexible zoning rules that are part of the legislation — without doing enough to help low-to-moderate-income Floridians find a truly affordable place to live,' report Dave Berman Laura Layden of USA Today Network — Florida. AG PITCH — 'Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier wants to set up an immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades he is calling 'Alligator Alcatraz,'' reports Skyler Swisher of the Orlando Sentinel. 'Uthmeier touted his proposal for a 1,000-bed facility as 'the one-stop shop to carry out President Trump's mass deportation agenda.' It would be positioned on a 'virtually abandoned' airstrip surrounded by wetlands, he said.' — '16 indicted for illegal reentry after sweeping Florida immigration crackdown,' reports Ana Goñi-Lessan of USA Today Network — Florida. — 'Florida contractor cuts nursing care for 100 medically fragile children,' reports Christopher O'Donnell of the Tampa Bay Times. PENINSULA AND BEYOND — 'South Florida Jews face changing plans as they try to leave Israel for U.S.,' by David Lyons of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. ...HURRICANE HOLE... NEVER THE SAME — 'Panama City [Florida] and Paradise stand as vivid examples of an emerging cycle in this era of more-extreme weather in America: Communities struck by disasters often grow richer and more exclusive,' report of Arian Campo-Flores, Cameron McWhirter and Paul Overberg of The Wall Street Journal. '... Poor residents have a tougher time navigating bureaucratic procedures for disaster aid and weathering job losses. Renters often get evicted from damaged properties and face spiraling rents as the supply of units shrinks. Low-income homeowners frequently struggle to pay for repairs that must comply with stricter building codes and to buy sufficient insurance coverage.' CAMPAIGN MODE ICYMI: WEIL CHALLENGING MOODY — Florida Democrat JOSH WEIL, the once little-known progressive teacher who stunned the political world in March by raising nearly $14 million for a failed congressional special election bid, is now running to become the Sunshine State's next senator. Weil is the first major Democratic candidate to file for the 2026 Senate race to challenge incumbent Sen. ASHLEY MOODY. 'I'll be everywhere,' Weil said of his planned campaign tour across the state, which kicked off Wednesday at a veterans' center in conservative Clay County. DATELINE D.C. IMPLICATIONS FOR FLORIDA'S LAW — 'The Supreme Court has upheld a Tennessee law that bans gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors,' reports POLITICO's Josh Gerstein. 'In a 6-3 ruling Wednesday, the court's conservative majority rejected a challenge from transgender adolescents and their families who argued that the ban violates the Constitution's guarantee of equal protection.' — 'Rick Scott, Byron Donalds, Greg Steube demand more transparency in next UF President pick,' reports Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics. — 'The price you pay for an Obamacare plan could surge next year in Florida,' reports Daniel Chang of the Orlando Sentinel. — 'Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' would kick nearly 8K rural Floridians off Medicaid,' reports Brandon Girod of the Pensacola News Journal. TRANSITION TIME — Blake Nolan has been promoted to be chief of staff for Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.). — 'Former Middle District of Florida U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg has joined GrayRobinson as a shareholder in its Litigation practice,' per Florida Politics. — 'Matt Newton is rejoining Shumaker as a Partner in its Real Estate, Construction & Development Service Line,' per Florida Politics. ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN — 'Better the second time around: South Florida celebrates Panthers' Stanley Cup encore victory,' by Ben Crandell and Rafael Olmeda of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. BIRTHDAYS: Brad Howard of the Corcoran Street Group … Ed Miyagishima … (Saturday) state Rep. Linda Chaney … former state Rep. Chuck Clemons … former Rep. Jim Bacchus … (Sunday) Florida Supreme Court Justice Charles Canady … state House Speaker Daniel Perez ... Drew Weatherford, partner at Weatherford Capital and Florida State University trustee.
New York Post
8 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Carville says Dems ‘betrayed' working-class voters by not including them in ‘too-cool-for-school' coalition
Veteran Democratic Party strategist James Carville warned on Thursday that Democrats need to acknowledge how they took part in the decades-long betrayal of white, working-class voters. Since the Democratic Party's historic loss in November, many have been trying to chart a path forward to reclaiming their coalition. Advertisement While some have doubled-down on controversial far-left identity politics, some have worked to reclaim working-class men they alienated in recent years, particularly white men. On the Politics War Room podcast, hosts Carville and Al Hunt addressed a comment from a listener, who suggested that rather than being reconciliation, MAGA supporters deserve to be 'beaten badly at the voting booth and then told just to suck it up.' 'Oh God, who doesn't have that instinct?' Carville responded, but nonetheless warned that politics comes down to winning elections, and that means persuading voters. 'It is not the most satisfying way, but what in the end are we trying to do? We're trying to do one thing, win elections.' He proceeded to warn against the 'temptation that says 'I can't believe how godd–n stupid you were.' Advertisement 3 Strategist James Carville urged Democrats to reconnect with working-class white voters in order to win elections. Getty Images While he said he has no temptation for the 'corporate a—wipes' who voted for Trump to become richer, the strategist nicknamed the Ragin' Cajun expressed some sympathy for working-class whites he says have been betrayed by both parties. 'I have an iota of sympathy for somebody whose life hadn't turned out right,' he said. 'The brilliant thing about MAGA is it gives you an explanation other than yourself of why your life didn't turn out the way you wanted it, and we should say to these people 'We kind of understand what you were trying to say but you were betrayed.'' 3 Carville argued that white, working-class people were excluded from Democrats' 'too-cool-for-school' coalition. Getty Images Advertisement 3 Trump secured an Electoral College blowout over former VP Kamala Harris during the 2024 election. Christopher Sadowski 'Let's also face it, Democrats acted like these people didn't exist alright? They just did, and don't come back and say-We acted like working-class, particularly working-class non-college whites were not part of our too-cool-for-school group,' he continued. 'There were some real high-end people that kind of bought in to that s—.' He returned to the listener's question and reasserted his point that it's better to reconcile with working-class white voters, even if he understands being frustrated with them. 'I can see it, but the best thing to do is not punch him in the mouth but to say, 'You know man I could hear where you're coming from you just got betrayed, and we betrayed you somewhat, and we now have learned our lesson,'' he said.
11 hours ago
- Business
Democrats in Virginia have a hefty fundraising advantage heading into November general election
RICHMOND, Va. -- Democrats in Virginia have built up a hefty fundraising advantage for their effort to reclaim the governor's mansion in a November election that is seen as a bellwether for the party in power in Washington ahead of the 2026 midterms. Democrat Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA spy turned congresswoman, has a more than 2-to-1 fundraising advantage over her GOP opponent for governor, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, who has struggled to draw support from her fellow Republicans. Both were unopposed for their party's nominations and were able to focus on the fall general election without having to overcome a challenge in this week's primaries. The match-up means Virginia is all but certain to elect the state's first female governor. Spanberger has amassed $6.5 million toward her campaign for governor over the last two months after raising $6.7 million between January and March, according to the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project. Combined with the money Spanberger raised in 2024, she has gathered $22.8 million and still has $14.3 million in her coffers. Earle-Sears, meanwhile, spent more than she earned between April and June, bringing in $3.5 million and spending $4.6 million. Between January and March, she also raised a little over $3.1 million. In total, she has raked in nearly $9.2 million since launching her campaign last September. Now, she has a little under $3 million in the bank, according to Virginia Public Access Project data. In a statement, Earle-Sears' campaign said the candidate is putting forward a message for Virginians that money can't buy. 'Clearly the Spanberger campaign needs a lot of help attempting to erase Abigail's bad voting record on issues that actually matter to Virginians," press secretary Peyton Vogel said in an email. 'This race isn't being bought — it's being built on a message that matters.' Virginia is one of two states, along with New Jersey, that host statewide elections this year. The contests will be closely watched as a measure of whether voters in the shadow of Washington will embrace President Donald Trump's aggressive effort to overhaul the federal government, or be repelled by it. Democrats' outsized fundraising lead ahead of the primaries may reflect local Democratic enthusiasm and the party's ability to push people to the polls in light of Trump being in office. Mark J. Rozell, dean of George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government, also referenced the noticeable frostiness among leading state Republicans. The party's statewide nominees have yet to campaign together, despite securing their nominations at the end of April. 'Enthusiasm drives fundraising and in Virginia right now the Democrats' voting base has much greater enthusiasm' than Republicans, Rozell said. 'It is reminiscent of Trump's first term in office when Democratic fundraising and ultimately voting overwhelmed the Republicans in Virginia.' Money does not guarantee success, however. In the last Virginia governor's race, former Gov. Terry McAuliffe outspent Republican Glenn Youngkin, who had invested $20 million of his own money in the race. Youngkin still clinched the election by nearly two points. Youngkin, who is term-limited from seeking reelection, has offered more than $21,000 in support to Earle-Sears through his political action committee. When asked whether he would donate more, his PAC responded, 'Governor Youngkin is working to elect the entire GOP ticket and is urging all Virginians to support the commonsense team this November to keep Virginia winning.' The Democrats' fundraising advantage isn't confined to the governor's race. State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, who eked out a primary win in a close three-way contest for lieutenant governor, raised nearly $1.8 million in her primary race and has $462,000 remaining. The Republican nominee, conservative talk-radio host John Reid, raised nearly $312,000 since launching his campaign and has $116,000 remaining. The only statewide GOP candidate with a fundraising lead, incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares, has $2.3 million in the bank after raising a total of $4.6 million. His Democratic opponent, Jay Jones, has raised $2.7 million. He had about $493,000 left at the beginning of June, reports show. This year, all three Democratic statewide candidates are backed by Clean Virginia, a political group that pushes for clean energy and often takes on legislative challenges against Dominion Energy, Virginia's largest utility. The two groups are some of the most influential entities lobbying on state politics and policy. With energy demand likely to be a key issue in November, their influence could be significant. According to the nonpartisan public-access group, Spanberger has taken in $465,000 from the environmental organization. On Tuesday, Clean Virginia endorsed Hashmi's candidacy for lieutenant governor, following its previous donations to her state Senate campaign committee. During his campaign, Jones also received $1.5 million from Clean Virginia, while his primary opponent, Democrat Shannon Taylor, accepted $800,000 from Dominion Energy between 2024 and 2025. Clean Virginia released attack ads targeting Taylor for accepting Dominion money. The energy utility has become entangled in other statewide battles. On the Republican ticket, Earle-Sears accepted $50,000 from Dominion in March. Miyares also gained $450,000 from the utility so far this year. Clean Virginia has donated to both Democrats and Republicans, including to candidates running for the House of Delegates, where all 100 members are up for reelection in November. Democrats who control the legislature are hoping to keep or expand their thin majority and amend the state's Constitution to protect rights to voting, marriage equality and abortion. Democratic candidates have raised about $16.9 million in those races, with $3.2 million stemming from House Speaker Don Scott. Meanwhile, Republicans have raised $8.8 million, with former Minority Leader Todd Gilbert earning over $643,000, and newly tapped Minority Leader Terry Kilgore raising nearly $470,000. ———
San Francisco Chronicle
11 hours ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Democrats in Virginia have a hefty fundraising advantage heading into November general election
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Democrats in Virginia have built up a hefty fundraising advantage for their effort to reclaim the governor's mansion in a November election that is seen as a bellwether for the party in power in Washington ahead of the 2026 midterms. Democrat Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA spy turned congresswoman, has a more than 2-to-1 fundraising advantage over her GOP opponent for governor, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, who has struggled to draw support from her fellow Republicans. Both were unopposed for their party's nominations and were able to focus on the fall general election without having to overcome a challenge in this week's primaries. The match-up means Virginia is all but certain to elect the state's first female governor. Spanberger has amassed $6.5 million toward her campaign for governor over the last two months after raising $6.7 million between January and March, according to the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project. Combined with the money Spanberger raised in 2024, she has gathered $22.8 million and still has $14.3 million in her coffers. Earle-Sears, meanwhile, spent more than she earned between April and June, bringing in $3.5 million and spending $4.6 million. Between January and March, she also raised a little over $3.1 million. In total, she has raked in nearly $9.2 million since launching her campaign last September. Now, she has a little under $3 million in the bank, according to Virginia Public Access Project data. In a statement, Earle-Sears' campaign said the candidate is putting forward a message for Virginians that money can't buy. 'Clearly the Spanberger campaign needs a lot of help attempting to erase Abigail's bad voting record on issues that actually matter to Virginians," press secretary Peyton Vogel said in an email. 'This race isn't being bought — it's being built on a message that matters.' Virginia is one of two states, along with New Jersey, that host statewide elections this year. The contests will be closely watched as a measure of whether voters in the shadow of Washington will embrace President Donald Trump's aggressive effort to overhaul the federal government, or be repelled by it. Democrats' outsized fundraising lead ahead of the primaries may reflect local Democratic enthusiasm and the party's ability to push people to the polls in light of Trump being in office. Mark J. Rozell, dean of George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government, also referenced the noticeable frostiness among leading state Republicans. The party's statewide nominees have yet to campaign together, despite securing their nominations at the end of April. 'Enthusiasm drives fundraising and in Virginia right now the Democrats' voting base has much greater enthusiasm' than Republicans, Rozell said. 'It is reminiscent of Trump's first term in office when Democratic fundraising and ultimately voting overwhelmed the Republicans in Virginia.' Money does not guarantee success, however. In the last Virginia governor's race, former Gov. Terry McAuliffe outspent Republican Glenn Youngkin, who had invested $20 million of his own money in the race. Youngkin still clinched the election by nearly two points. Youngkin, who is term-limited from seeking reelection, has offered more than $21,000 in support to Earle-Sears through his political action committee. When asked whether he would donate more, his PAC responded, 'Governor Youngkin is working to elect the entire GOP ticket and is urging all Virginians to support the commonsense team this November to keep Virginia winning.' The Democrats' fundraising advantage isn't confined to the governor's race. State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, who eked out a primary win in a close three-way contest for lieutenant governor, raised nearly $1.8 million in her primary race and has $462,000 remaining. The Republican nominee, conservative talk-radio host John Reid, raised nearly $312,000 since launching his campaign and has $116,000 remaining. The only statewide GOP candidate with a fundraising lead, incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares, has $2.3 million in the bank after raising a total of $4.6 million. His Democratic opponent, Jay Jones, has raised $2.7 million. He had about $493,000 left at the beginning of June, reports show. This year, all three Democratic statewide candidates are backed by Clean Virginia, a political group that pushes for clean energy and often takes on legislative challenges against Dominion Energy, Virginia's largest utility. The two groups are some of the most influential entities lobbying on state politics and policy. With energy demand likely to be a key issue in November, their influence could be significant. According to the nonpartisan public-access group, Spanberger has taken in $465,000 from the environmental organization. On Tuesday, Clean Virginia endorsed Hashmi's candidacy for lieutenant governor, following its previous donations to her state Senate campaign committee. During his campaign, Jones also received $1.5 million from Clean Virginia, while his primary opponent, Democrat Shannon Taylor, accepted $800,000 from Dominion Energy between 2024 and 2025. Clean Virginia released attack ads targeting Taylor for accepting Dominion money. The energy utility has become entangled in other statewide battles. On the Republican ticket, Earle-Sears accepted $50,000 from Dominion in March. Miyares also gained $450,000 from the utility so far this year. Clean Virginia has donated to both Democrats and Republicans, including to candidates running for the House of Delegates, where all 100 members are up for reelection in November. Democrats who control the legislature are hoping to keep or expand their thin majority and amend the state's Constitution to protect rights to voting, marriage equality and abortion. Democratic candidates have raised about $16.9 million in those races, with $3.2 million stemming from House Speaker Don Scott. ———
