GOP has 2-to-1cash edge in Virginia races

RICHMOND

Fundraising in Virginia's legislative races is down this year, but Republicans' bank accounts appear better stocked than those of their Democratic counterparts.

Key Republican political committees ended September with an advantage of more than 2-to-1 over similar Democratic committees in available cash - $4.6 million to $2.1 million, according to an analysis of political giving by the Virginia Public Access Project, a nonpartisan tracker of money in state politics.

The available data give a glimpse into party leaders' perceptions about which incumbents need protection and which challengers could unseat a rival.

One Hampton Roads race that both parties appear to be eyeing is the 1st Senate District contest between Sen. John Miller, D-Newport News, and Republican Mickey Chohany.

The VPAP analysis found that more than two-thirds of the $154,000 in cash Miller raised last month came from party sources, a signal Democrats want to preserve their hold on the swing district, which runs from the Peninsula into Suffolk.

Chohany has likewise benefited from the generosity of party backers: VPAP records show his campaign received 28 percent of its cash last month from Republicans, plus $126,000 worth of advertisements, mailings and polling services.

Political spending hasn't been as concentrated in the 6th Senate District, where Virginia Beach Republican Ben Loyola is challenging Norfolk Democratic Sen. Ralph Northam.

Republican and conservative groups have given about $54,000 to Loyola, while Democrats have contributed roughly $26,000 to Northam.

With a safe majority in the state House, Republicans are focused on seizing control of the Senate - a net gain of three seats would accomplish that outright and give the GOP dominance of state government.

And while Senate Democrats raised more than their Republican counterparts this cycle, that advantage isn't so apparent now. Senate candidates from both major parties had similar sums of available cash, more than $3.1 million apiece, to spend as they entered October.

The latest VPAP analysis also showed that aside from political parties, the top five donor industries are retail and service businesses, including alcohol distributors; the real estate and construction professions; health care; lawyers and lobbyists; and the finance and insurance sectors.

The economy has had an impact on campaigns as well. Donations to state legislative candidates were down $4.2 million, or 13 percent, from comparable contributions made in 2007, before the recession.

Julian Walker, (804) 697-1564, julian.walker@pilotonline.com