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By Michael Sluss
RICHMOND
Republicans ended June with a significant funding advantage over their Democratic rivals, and the GOP already is steering money toward key races that could shift the balance of power in the state Senate.
Republican candidates, leadership committees and party committees had $13.7 million on hand as of June 30 and Democrats had $7.4 million, according to data compiled by the Virginia Public Access Project, a nonpartisan tracker of campaign finances. The figures are based on reports that candidates and political committees filed last week with the State Board of Elections
All 140 seats in the General Assembly are up for election this fall. Much attention and money will be directed toward a few races that may determine whether Democrats keep their slim 22-18 majority in the state Senate.
Gov. Bob McDonnell's political action committee, Opportunity Virginia, reached the midyear point with nearly $3 million.
McDonnell has used some of his largess to help Republican candidates in key Senate races, making generous contributions to the Republicans who are trying to unseat veteran Democrats John Edwards of Roanoke and Roscoe Reynolds of Henry County.
McDonnell's Opportunity Virginia committee gave $40,000 to Republican Dave Nutter of Christiansburg, who has given up a safe seat in the House of Delegates to challenge Edwards. That's more than McDonnell gave to any state Senate candidate in this period, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.
McDonnell's PAC gave $25,000 to Republican Bill Stanley of Franklin County, a first-year senator who moved from the 19th District to the redrawn 20th District to take on Reynolds.
The Virginia Senate Republican Caucus had more than $1 million at the end of June; the Virginia Senate Democratic Caucus had nearly $865,000.
McDonnell's committee also gave $25,000 to Republican Bill Carrico of Grayson County, who is leaving the House and running for the Senate seat being vacated by William Wampler, R-Bristol.
McDonnell's PAC also has given $50,000 to the Southside Victory Fund, a committee set up to help Del. Charles Poindexter, R-Franklin County. Poindexter faces a fight with House Minority Leader Ward Armstrong, D-Henry County, who decided to move after his district was carved up in the reapportionment process.
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The Republican Party's destruction of America
The Republican Party is marshaling their forces to complete their destruction of America. If they win the next election, they will kill Medicare, privatize Social Security, and bankrupt the government with tax cuts for the rich and useless wars. Don't let them, my friends.
The Republican Party has
The Republican Party has plenty of help to complete the destruction of America, namely the Democratic Party. I think they may actually be in competition to see who can drag the country down faster.
You're Right
They are a juggernaut of destruction funded by big money for short-term corporate gains at the public expense. They are led by corporate zealots and bull-headed ideological know-nothings. My fear isn't so much that they win the Presidency so much as more seats in Congress and more so, that Obama and opportunistic Dems will bow to the pressure from big funders and corporate lobbyists as he has already done. The result is nearly the same as if Republicans were in power because in realty, big money is in power and the rest is reduced to a puppet show.
Could it be
Is it possible that the perception of "bowing" is actually a subtle way of showing the American People that the GOP is ideologically incapable of accepting ANY compromise from President Obama? It's difficult to reach a balance point if one person (read "party") insists on moving the fulcrom every time the board comes into equilibrium.
And if the Don't win the
And if the Don't win the next elections........America will be BROKE!
Their spending is insane and they want even MORE money to blow!
For the FIRST time, ever....our credit rating is in jeopardy!
OMG....we won't be able to borrow more from China!
?????????
Oh come on there's no way they can bankrupt the government. Obama and company already did that for us. Record unemployment, inflation, the dollar is in decline, gas prices going up daily. Who could possibly top the great CHANGE Obama and company has given us?
Will $13.7 million change anyone's perceptions?
How much will be spent on rational appeals? How much to create a smoke screen with ideological issues? How about a pie chart?
I like pie.
Even more telling
How much will Republicans spend to tell us "America is Broke"?
The most telling
is that they are telling it like it is and not drinking the Obama koolaid like some people on this board. They need to spend whatever it takes to remove the final vestiges of the Pelosi-ried-obama socialis from power and repeal all of the job killing legislation passed through OBAMACARE and the EPA.
Yet, the Republicans protect useless fat cat subsidies
and talk out of both side of their mouths too.
Speaking of telling, remember Don Blankenship's blaming the government for not enough inspections on his coal mine to prevent a disaster. Don Blankenship, Tea Party stump speaker, major Republican contributor and demagogue against regulations.