Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe announced Friday he raised more than $5 million in the first quarter of the year. Republican candidate Ken Cuccinelli, current Virginia attorney general, announced Monday evening he raised $2.4 million in the same time period.
In a press release Friday, McAuliffe said the contributions reflected a broad base of support for his campaign.
“More than 3,600 Virginians contributed, making up about 72 percent of the contributors,” the statement said. “About 74 percent of the donations were for $100 or less.”
Center for Politics spokesperson Geoffrey Skelley said McAuliffe’s fundraising totals have already set a tone for the financial future of the election season. “This will probably be the most expensive race in Virginia history,” he said.
Virginia law does not permit officeholders or their campaigns to raise money during the legislative session, so Cuccinelli had less time than McAuliffe to raise money this quarter. But if Cuccinelli continues to post comparatively low fundraising totals, that could harm his chances, Skelley said. In 2009 Gov. Bob McDonnell raised more than $20 million throughout the entire campaign, outpacing Democratic nominee Creigh Deeds’ $16 million.
“Given the fact that McAuliffe raised over $5 million, that can be taken as a pretty bad sign for Cuccinelli,” Skelley said. “Especially if we continue to see this kind of disparity in the succeeding reporting period.”
But a winning campaign isn’t just about finances, said College Republican Chair Elizabeth Minneman, a third-year College student.
“Gubernatorial fundraising is going to be important for the fall elections, but there are other factors like grassroots activism and having a candidate with actual experience in Virginia that I think will prove more important this year,” Minneman said in an email.
McAuliffe spokesperson Josh Schwerin agreed that money would not be the biggest factor in deciding the election, but emphasized other aspects of the campaigns.
“The difference in this race will be Terry’s mainstream approach to economic growth compared with Ken Cuccinelli’s career-long pursuit of a divisive ideological agenda,” Schwerin said.
And Cuccinelli’s lack of fundraising prowess has not made him less proficient when it comes to winning elections, said third-year College student Matt Wertman, former chair of the College Republicans.
“In every single one of his elections, Attorney General Cuccinelli has been out-fundraised and he’s still managed to win elections,” Wertman said.
The Cuccinelli campaign could not be reached for comment.
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