National Dems give $100,000 to protect party control of state Senate

A national political party has made a significant cash infusion to support the Virginia Senate Democratic Caucus as it desperately tries to preserve its majority.

The $100,000 donation from the Democratic National Committee Federal Fund was made Oct. 20 and reported online Tuesday by the Virginia Public Access Project, a non-partisan tracker of money in state politics.

That high dollar contribution comes as both parties pump money into races around the state about two weeks before Election Day.

It precedes a Friday evening fundraiser for the caucus with former President Bill Clinton in the McLean home of 2009 gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe.

(Another national political figure -- Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney -- was in McLean Tuesday evening for a fundraiser. He's scheduled to participate in pre-election activities for GOP state legislative candidates Wednesday in Fairfax County.)

Republicans want to wrest Senate control from Democrats who now hold a 22-18 majority and want to keep that advantage to prevent one-party dominance over state government.

In addition to the Senate's 40 seats, all 100 House of Delegates districts are on the ballot but continued GOP control in that chamber isn't in doubt.

-- Julian Walker

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