Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mark Warner has managed to raise nearly triple the funds of either of his two Republican challengers, Lt. Gov. John Hager and Attorney General Mark L. Earley.
Warner's $5.4 million came from nearly 7,000 donors, according to his communications director, Amanda Crumley.
Earley and Hager only have managed to raise $1.9 million and $1.7 million, respectively.
The Earley campaign does not see the financial disparity as a problem. "Mark Warner's money cannot compare to Earley's accomplishments and his record," said Doug Blais, deputy press secretary for the Earley campaign.
"We believe that once we emerge from the nominating process" Republicans will unite and bring in more money, Blais said.
"I am supremely confident that our party's candidate will have ample funds to compete in November," Hager campaign manager Phil Cox said.
Cox added that the Hager campaign is now focused on winning the battle for the Republican nomination, which ends June 2.
The Earley campaign, however, is trying to claim an early victory because of poll results that show him holding a 12 percent lead over Hager in delegates that stated preferences. Blais also cited a nearly 10 percent gap in total delegate votes for Earley over Hager.
Republicans will hold a statewide convention in June to determine their candidate. Only pre-filed delegates are able to vote for the candidates, as opposed to the old system that allowed any registered voter in the state to vote.
"We're coming into this with a commanding lead," and we see it as very hard for Hager to win, Blais said.
Cox said the Hager campaign considers these findings as nothing more than a "non-binding straw poll," and they are remaining focused on targeting supporters and undecided voters to make sure they attend the convention.
Meanwhile, Warner has been taking advantage of the lack of Democratic competition by crisscrossing the state and raising large amounts of funds from numerous donors, Crumley said.
Warner is not self-financing his campaign; he is raising money from donors, Crumley said in response to accusations that Warner, a multi-millionaire, is using his own funds.
In the end, Warner's wealth may not matter. According to Prof. Robert Holsworth, director of the Center for Public Policy at Virginia Commonwealth University, the Republican National Committee will offer extensive funding to the campaign in an attempt to counter Warner's money.
However, "money just doesn't win elections," Holsworth said.
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