WASHINGTON — Today the Daily Beast reported that despite record fundraising from the DLCC and allies, Democrats are sounding the alarm about the additional resources required down the final stretch to match Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s attempt to flood Virginia with out-of-state billionaire dollars ahead of next month’s critical legislative elections. So far, the DLCC and allied groups have been able to match Republicans’s resources in the state. However, Youngkin continues to funnel millions from out-of-state billionaires and is aggressively deploying that out-of-state money down the stretch in support of his handpicked, extremist Republican candidates.
- “The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, the lead fundraising arm for Democrats on state legislative elections, brought in a record $15.7 million by the end of the third quarter”
- “Youngkin will have to overcome an abortion issue that has persistently invigorated voters after Roe v. Wade was overturned—plus a local Democratic machine that’s already put more than $2 million into Virginia races thus far.”
- “Still, the DLCC is sounding the alarm.”
- “We have been raising the resources to keep state Democrats competitive but our ballot-level remains underfunded,” Heather Williams, the DLCC’s interim president, told The Daily Beast in a statement. “To counter the wave of Republican cash we are seeing in states like Virginia, we need our supporters and party fully behind us.”
The DLCC was the first national organization to be on the ground in Virginia this year and the latest investments last week make the DLCC among the largest direct contributors in Virginia this cycle. These investments have supported the Democratic caucuses, fought back against Republicans trying to flood Virginia with money, and helped ensure that Democrats are getting out the vote and holding Gov. Youngkin and the GOP accountable – neighborhood by neighborhood, block by block.
The DLCC has been on the ground in Virginia since January, where our early investments helped flip a critical Senate seat. DLCC staff have been working year-round to support caucus partners in the state, helping expand capacity and execute finance and campaign plans. Our early investments have been boosted by more recent support from President Biden, the DNC, and other groups who are joining us in the fight.
“The DLCC is leading the fight this year to hold the Virginia Senate and flip the House of Delegates,” said interim DLCC President Heather Williams. “We invested early and have kept up the pace because the stakes are so high. Democrats must win in November to protect Virginians’ fundamental rights and to advance an economic agenda to grow the middle class. If we fail, Virginia will fall into the hands of unchecked Republican power and their extreme MAGA agenda will set Virginia back decades. We need all hands on deck now.”
The DLCC is the official Democratic Party committee dedicated to winning America’s state legislatures. Last year, the DLCC defied the odds by not losing any state legislative majorities, flipping four key chambers, and creating four new Democratic trifectas – the best midterm year for the party in power since at least 1934. State legislatures are the building blocks of our democracy and pass the policies that have the biggest impact on Americans’ day-to-day lives.
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