WASHINGTON — With a little more than two months until Virginia’s elections, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee has completed its early investment pledge of $1 million to flip the General Assembly blue.
“The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is committed to flipping the Virginia General Assembly blue,” said DLCC President Jessica Post. “We made huge gains in 2017 and this November, we’re going to do whatever it takes to win both chambers in Richmond.”
Democrats are just two seats away in each the state House and Senate from gaining a trifecta government in Virginia — where Republicans haven’t won a statewide campaign in more than a decade. Flipping the state would decimate the Virginia GOP and prevent Republicans from gerrymandering the state’s congressional districts.
The early investment pledge from the DLCC gave Virginia Democrats a head start in hiring staff, recruiting a record number of candidates and building campaign infrastructure across the state. It also sent a clear signal to partner organizations that Democrats could flip both chambers of the General Assembly, leading to record donations and support.
“Early support this year from the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee has put us on a clear path to flip both chambers of the General Assembly this November,” said House Democratic Leader Eileen Filler-Corn. “With their help, Virginia Democrats are going to invest in our schools, protect health care and finally pass commonsense gun safety legislation.”
On the other side of the aisle, national Republicans are retreating from the commonwealth and the Republican State Leadership Committee has donated just half a million dollars to Virginia Republicans.
“Donald Trump’s record unpopularity combined with Republicans’ opposition to health care expansion and gun safety has placed them far outside the mainstream in this blue state,” DLCC press secretary Matt Harringer said. “National Republicans see the writing on the wall and have given up all hope of keeping control of the General Assembly.”
Earlier this month, the DLCC announced it had already raised $10 million this cycle and is outpacing the RSLC for the first time — and they’re expanding their map to target traditionally red states in this crucial redistricting cycle.
“The Republican State Leadership Committee is in a downward spiral,” Harringer said. “Democrats are going to force Republicans to spend big in traditionally red states like Texas and Georgia in 2020 and the RSLC has decided they just can’t afford to defend Virginia this November.”
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