WASHINGTON — Virginia’s midyear financial reports show the Republican Party and GOP candidates in full meltdown mode — on the brink of bankruptcy and badly beaten by their Democratic opponents.
In June, Democratic General Assembly candidates raised about $3.5 million — $1.1 million more than Republican candidates, who currently control both legislative chambers.
Looking at the caucus numbers, the divide widens more. The Democratic caucuses raised nearly $2 million, almost $1 million more than their Republican counterparts, in the second quarter.
The situation is direr for the GOP at the state party level. Democrats raised nearly $700,000 in the second quarter, while Republicans raised just $36,385 into their state account and closed out the month with less than $2,000 in the bank.
“A 20-year-old Toyota Camry with 95,000 miles on it is literally worth more than the Republican Party of Virginia today,” said Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee press secretary Matt Harringer.
“While we’re incredibly proud of the giant fundraising advantage our Democratic candidates have over Republicans, it’s the grassroots numbers we’re most excited about,” Harringer added. “Republican candidates are failing to attract any substantial support from real Virginians because they’ve sworn loyalty to Donald Trump and sold out to the gun lobby — and it’s going to cost them control of the General Assembly this November. ”
A partial list of Republican fundraising failures:
- Democratic challengers in seven targeted Senate seats currently held by Republicans had more than 4,383 grassroots donations of $100 or less. Republicans in those races, five of whom are incumbents, had less than 270 grassroots donations.
- Democratic Senate challengers Cheryl Turpin (SD-7), Missy Cotter Smasal (SD-8), Ghazala Hashmi (SD-10), Amanda Pohl (SD-11), Debra Rodman (SD-12) and Amy Laufer (SD-17) outraised their Republican opponents by almost $300,000 combined.
- Delegate John Bell has a cash on hand advantage of $151,107 over extreme right-wing Republican Geary Higgins in Northern Virginia’s Senate District 13.
- Speaker Kirk Cox (HD-66), who now represents a blue district, is being outworked by his Democratic challenger, Sheila Bynum-Coleman, who reported 1,096 grassroots donations to Cox’s two.
- Delegate Glenn Davis (HD-84) didn’t raise a single grassroots donation in June and was forced to lend himself $100,000. His Democratic opponent, Karen Mallard, received more than 1,000 grassroots donations and outraised Davis by more than $27,000.
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Democratic nominee Phil Hernandez (HD-100) raised $92,674.56. Republican incumbent Rob Bloxom raised $475 – and he still has a higher average donation. Hernandez also holds a significant cash on hand advantage.
“The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee’s early $1 million investment in Virginia is paying dividends,” Harringer said. “Our candidates and the state caucuses are running the most professional campaigns in Virginia history and they’re going flip both chambers of the General Assembly blue this November.”
