January 15, 2009
Posted: January 15th, 2009 06:36 PM ET

From

WASHINGTON (CNN) – For the moment, at least, things are looking up for the GOP in Virginia.

Republican Bob McDonnell has more than $2 million in the bank to fund his 2009 bid for the Virginia’s governor’s mansion, putting him well ahead of all three of his potential Democratic rivals in the money race, according to fundraising figures released by each of the campaigns.

Thursday was the deadline for each campaign to file year-end finance reports with the Virginia State Board of Elections.

McDonnell raked in $1.6 million during the most recent six-month reporting period, which lasted from June to December, and most of his money came in after election day, when Barack Obama turned Virginia blue on the presidential level for the first time in 44 years.

While the Democrats are facing off in a potentially costly primary battle, McDonnell has already locked up the Republican nomination and is devoting much of his spare time to raising campaign cash. Earlier this month, McDonnell - Virginia's current Attorney General - held a pair of fundraisers with former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani.

McDonnell now has more than twice as much money on hand as each of the Democrats in the governor’s race, including Terry McAuliffe, the well-connected former DNC chairman who officially entered the race in January and raised about $948,000 since he started collecting checks last fall. McAuliffe reported having about $718,000 on hand.

Despite that relatively modest number, McAuliffe has been in the race for only seven weeks and is expected to out raise and outspend all of the candidates as the campaign progresses.

State senator Creigh Deeds, a Democrat from Bath County, raised about $658,000 since June and ended the year with about $891,000 in the bank, about a quarter of a million more than he had six months ago.

Democrat Brian Moran, the former House delegate from Alexandria, raised roughly $755,000 since June and rustled up more than $2 million over the course of the year, but his campaign spent much of that war chest building their operation and finished 2008 with about $770,000 on hand.

Virginia's Democratic primary is scheduled for June 9.

Filed under: Virginia


Tom in IL   January 16th, 2009 11:18 am ET

If you guys in VA want a dem governor we could give you Blagojevich. We dont want him anymore.

Edwin Bowers   January 15th, 2009 11:51 pm ET

Will Rogers, the great American Humorist, once said he did not belong to any organized political party, he is a Democrat. Time has proven him to be correct. The Democratic party, closer to a socialist party, will destroy this country from within because of no core values. Their Liberal ideas of Gays serving openly in the military, instant gradification, free love, legalizing drugs, crooked and deceitful politics and a host of other immoral and unethical practices will come back to haunt the American people. San Francisco should be renamed Soddom, and I can't decide if Seattle, Los Angeles, New York City, or Boston sould be renamed Gomorrah. The last two years of a Democratic controlled congresshas shown that are confused and don't know how to lead. God help use.

Well Well Well   January 15th, 2009 11:37 pm ET

The only way the GOP takes Virginia is if Terry McAuliffe is the candidate for the Democrats. As a Virginian, I will do everything in my power to ensure that the GOP does not take Virginia.

chuck   January 15th, 2009 11:32 pm ET

THE REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS ARE SITTING PRETTY IN VIRGINIA LIKE JOHN MCCAIN AND SARAH PALIN. THEN WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE BUCKET---–.

too   January 15th, 2009 11:24 pm ET

I LOVE YOU GUYS.

Virginia Republican   January 15th, 2009 11:20 pm ET

We don't need any more Dems in this state-we need our Republican administration back!

SUE   January 15th, 2009 11:16 pm ET

Terry McAuliffe The Clintons will help you

Justin from New Haven, CT   January 15th, 2009 10:51 pm ET

The GOP has no shot in hell of being relevant in any capacity in the next four to eight years.

WIlly Brown   January 15th, 2009 10:49 pm ET

We already had 2 liberal democrats run us into the ground. Now they will be working with King Obama.

Kelly   January 15th, 2009 10:45 pm ET

Heather–McDonell, like all republicans for statewide office in the Commonwealth, will lose for a very, very long time. I just made an online contribution to McAuliffe. Please do the same. Plus side for us is–The dems tend to be better-educated, and have better jobs, so we have more cash to contribute. The repubs–Well, don't. Problem is, we tend to be more fractious, and to not join forces as fast as the repubs. I think that this is changing.

Texas Trail Kitty   January 15th, 2009 10:40 pm ET

Randy: Really, really, 'the Democratic party, they are like Nazi'? If they were, your sorry butt would be locked up somewhere until you saw things their way. Remember, the Republican party is the one that brought us Gitmo, Iraqi occupation, not to mention, the almost total destruction of our financial system, something that our enemies could only dream of doing. God bless Barack Obama for even wanting the job of president after the trainwreck that is Bush. All true American will pray that he finds a way to dig us out of this awful hole. People like you would rather see American crash and burn than to see a Democrat fix it. You know what? Why don't you research your ethnic background, then go to wherever your people came from? I'm sure it's a much better place than American. Buh-bye.

legal in nc   January 15th, 2009 10:39 pm ET

Contrary to liberal belief,, if you don't vote for a democrat it doesn't mean your an idiot or a Nazi. To me it seems that the left is more like the Nazis in that they want Israel (Jews) destroyed. All the comments about that situation have been against Israel.

Most of you "wet behind the ear" kids that think that liberalism (socialist) is the way to save the world will hopefully grow out of it sooner than later.

Jay   January 15th, 2009 10:36 pm ET

As a resident of the great commonwealth of Virginia... please leave your partisan bull at home. By getting on your computer and anonymously spouting idiotic statements comparing Republicans to a group that murdered millions upon millions of people shows just how foolish you are. I can't figure out how people continue to be so vitriolic based on how one votes. We're all in it together. Grow up.

bankrupt USA   January 15th, 2009 10:22 pm ET

Politicians raising money from special interests and lobbyists so they can spend it on negative attack ads. So what else is new?

El Diablo   January 15th, 2009 10:21 pm ET

Rick and Randy.....you two sound like you would enjoy a round of footsie with Larry Craig or each other at the airport.

Rick Sutter   January 15th, 2009 10:12 pm ET

Bridg – because we believe in small government, hard work, free enterprise. Don't judge Republicans by Bush. He, like so many politicians, end up in the center trying to please everyone. Look how far Obama has drifted to the Right since he was elected. The last good Democrat was Kennedy. Look how far your party has drifted since those days. What Democrat could ever get elected again by daring to say, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."? I remember that speech. You will never again hear a Democrat say that. Now it's all about what the government can do for me. I just want the government to leave me the he** alone.

German,Irish American   January 15th, 2009 10:09 pm ET

Just think Heather, if those evil republicans didn't exist, no Abraham Lincoln, thus freedom from slavery set back at least 50 years, no civil rights bill, since a larger percentage of republicans than democrats voted for the bill. Not all would be lost however, we still would have Fannie and Freddie because democrats and government demanded that everyone should be given a loan, even the people that had no chance in hell of making the payments.

Jackman   January 15th, 2009 10:00 pm ET

I would prefer we didn't have this party system. It only makes "us" against "them," for both sides. What hatred I have read on this board, people from both sides saying the other side is the "lowest form on life in the planet."

Perhaps if there were no parties we could focus on the ideas and values of the people we are choosing to represent us, rather than the meaninglessness of the division of the party they belong to.

Denise   January 15th, 2009 9:51 pm ET

The amount of money does not guarantee a win. I still say VA remains blue.

tess   January 15th, 2009 9:51 pm ET

if i lived in virginia i would sell my soul to see that mcawful never won anything!!!!!! it seems that the dems think that they can buy anything they want now and nobody does anything to dissuade them. i would vote for a pig or goat before i would even consider a vote for mcauliffe!

Rick Sutter   January 15th, 2009 9:42 pm ET

Heather, I am thinking that you're, what, maybe 22 or 23? You'll grow out of it, hopefully.

Randy Nevers MI   January 15th, 2009 9:41 pm ET

We need to get rid of the Democratic party, they are like Nazis.

Lori   January 15th, 2009 9:39 pm ET

The Republican party is still relevant? Seriously?

Bridg   January 15th, 2009 9:25 pm ET

Proof that this country is full of Morons. While would anyone vote for a Repug???

Alice Newman Center Harbor NH   January 15th, 2009 9:22 pm ET

What is Micky D running on? What's his platform? What is his vision for his state? What new ideas does he have and how does he want to implement them?

Or is it just the ol' GOP mantra of "get elected – any way possible but don't bother to govern once "in power"?

ex Illinois man, now a Pennsylvanian   January 15th, 2009 9:21 pm ET

Well, it's still early. After all, everyone thought that Hillary Clinton would be President back in December 2007. Who knows what could happen between now and November.

Rob   January 15th, 2009 9:06 pm ET

Anything to make sure Terry McAuliffe stays out of office.

Heather   January 15th, 2009 9:02 pm ET

He like all republicans will lose. Thank God that evil group is DONE just like the Nazi party. It is so sad they were allowed to exist so long.

Marty, FL   January 15th, 2009 8:51 pm ET

McDonnell has fundraising connections with Rudy Giuliani? Enough said, and it's not pretty. No thanks.

SOUTHERN HOTTIE   January 15th, 2009 8:44 pm ET

Republicans never sit pretty. They wear pointy hats at their rallies, meetings, whatever you wanna call them.

And so you see...that's not pretty. That's scary.

Franky   January 15th, 2009 8:28 pm ET

You know, they should do good, I would still consider Virginia Red. I think is fair to say that my boy won because of a lot of factors, he literally needed to change the game in that state. And like you said, Virginia turned blue for the first time in 40+ years, that says something. But in my opinion, the Dems who are running are on their own, I'm sure my boy has some troops that can help later on but overall, I doubt they'll bring in the recruits like my boy did when he visited the state himself...

Cyrus Shick in Nashville, TN   January 15th, 2009 8:25 pm ET

NO!!! Virginia, don't slide backward!!!!! TN's bad enough!!! VA has become the model state for how Southern politics should be, so please don't let this happen!

Home of the Free   January 15th, 2009 8:18 pm ET

This is a joke right??

EVOLVE   January 15th, 2009 7:57 pm ET

I FEEL SORRY FOR YOU VIRGINIANS IF REPUBLICAN MCDONNEL GETS BECOMES GOVERNOR!!

Jack   January 15th, 2009 7:54 pm ET

I am sending $20 to the democrat......Hell yes!

vic   January 15th, 2009 7:49 pm ET

It's a little early to be bragging, Mr. Republican.
I think Terry McAuliffe will out raise all of them.

kayla   January 15th, 2009 7:38 pm ET

who cares?

Bruce   January 15th, 2009 7:35 pm ET

Good grief! I thought you were going to be talking votes! Money means nothing, unless you are in Illinois. He could have six billion dollars, and if he's not good, he won't get it.

Does CNN really think money can trump votes? Go ask Mitt Romney. He'll tell you differently.

It sickens me to think that news agencies would say someone is "sitting pretty" just because he has money. It is a sad commentary on how most people think you get into office.

Mike Huckabee has shown you can get good results without owning a mint. He may never win an election, but he gets the most "bang for a buck."

Karen   January 15th, 2009 7:06 pm ET

Watch those Democrats they can't be trusted

boered1   January 15th, 2009 6:59 pm ET

hmm so he will outspend his opponents now if he is NOT elected does that mean that people will get over the idea that if they spend more they always win? nope the liar hillary fans will still believe that she lost, not due to her own incompetance, but because obama spent more than her.... the good point I guess is that this means people finally understand that they are too lazy to do real research and only select people on what they are told about them...

idiots

Larry   January 15th, 2009 6:53 pm ET

Thank GOD-Republicans are uniting and will get the country back on track in 2010.

Simmy   January 15th, 2009 6:50 pm ET

Virginians: You went Blue once, you can do it again! Don't get too relaxed yet, there's still work to do to revive our economy and lift the spirits of our country.

New Yorkers: Don't be fooled by the propaganda from Andrew Cuomo and his crew. He, the -EX-husband of one of Caroline Kennedy-S's cousins, has people throwing his name around like a hot potato, it's personal. There is more to it than him being the "most qualified person." Why is his name and his connections not an issue?

Peter   January 15th, 2009 6:44 pm ET

I dont fear anything from republicans but the fact that they wont be bipartisan

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