With three statewide offices and all 100 House of Delegates seats up for grabs, Virginia Department of Elections campaign finance reports show candidates across the commonwealth pulled in a staggering $20.4 million between Jan. 1 and March 31, underscoring the intensity and razor-sharp competition ahead.
In the marquee governor’s race, Democratic nominee Abigail Spanberger has soared to an early financial lead, raising $6.7 million to Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears’ $3.1 million. Spanberger enters the heart of campaign season with $11 million cash on hand — nearly three times more than her GOP opponent.
Earle-Sears’ total, however, comes despite a significant fundraising constraint: as a sitting legislator, she was prohibited from soliciting donations during much of the General Assembly session.
“I think it’s important to note that that funding gap will narrow now that the legislative session is over,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington. “Now that the lieutenant governor is a Republican nominee, I imagine some Republicans were waiting for a resolution of the nomination process before weighing in with donations.”
Fundraising is more than just a vanity metric — it’s often a key indicator of campaign strength and viability. The flow of early money offers a roadmap for where parties and donors see the biggest opportunities or threats.
In the crowded race for lieutenant governor, 12 contenders reported a combined $2.4 million. Republican Pat Herrity leads with $540,000, followed closely by Democrat Levar Stoney, the former Richmond mayor, at $429,000. Democrats Aaron Rouse and Babur Lateef are virtually tied at just under $400,000, while Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Richmond, trails at $306,000.
Farnsworth said that Stoney’s strong showing is likely helped by a familiar fundraising machine – former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who endorsed Stoney’s bid early on.
“McAuliffe’s greatest skill as a politician has always been fundraising. And that pipeline will be very useful to the former mayor,” he said.
The race for attorney general has also attracted big money early. Incumbent Jason Miyares, a Republican, raised $1.5 million in the first quarter, while former Del. Jay Jones of Norfolk, aiming for a comeback after his 2021 primary loss, followed with $931,000. Democrat Shannon Taylor, the Henrico Commonwealth’s Attorney, pulled in $534,000.
Meanwhile, the 286 candidates running for the House of Delegates brought in $5.2 million altogether. Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, sits atop the pile with $813,000. But it’s a Democratic challenger from Southwest Virginia who may be drawing the most attention — and dollars.
Lily Franklin, who narrowly lost to Republican Chris Obenshain in 2023 by just 183 votes, is leading all battleground Democrats this quarter with over $190,000 raised. She has collected more than $245,000 this cycle, putting her in a strong position to flip House District 41.
“We’re seeing big investments in Southwest Virginia — and they’re coming from everyday people,” Franklin said. “With nearly 2,000 donations and a median gift of just $25, this is a community-led movement fueled by our neighbors.”
Obenshain, who reported $50,000 raised this quarter, dismissed the fundraising numbers as political theater.
“It’s no surprise that my opponent has used her career as a political operative to raise money from left-wing special interest groups that care more about Washington, D.C. than Southwest Virginia,” he said, touting his legislative record on tax cuts, childcare, electric bills and public safety.
Farnsworth, the political scientist, noted the strategic importance of Franklin’s campaign.
“Early political money especially is going to be targeted to the greatest opportunities for the party, and the closeness of the last election in this district and the money Democrats are raising suggest that this may be one of the top priorities for Democrats this cycle,” he said.
That trend is especially visible in Virginia’s so-called Purple Caucus — a group of about one dozen House Republicans in vulnerable suburban and swing districts.
One of its leaders, Del. Amanda Batten, R-James City County, appears financially underwater, raising just over $15,000 in Q1. Her Democratic challenger, Jessica Anderson, brought in more than $116,000 from over 1,300 small-dollar donors.
“There’s no doubt about it,” Farnsworth said, “if you’re in the Purple Caucus, you’re potentially vulnerable, and the fundraising game may be a key part of trying to keep that seat.”
Another GOP incumbent facing pressure is Del. Carrie Coyner, R-Chesterfield, who is trying to fend off a three-way Democratic primary. Coyner raised $131,000 last quarter, making her the highest-earning Republican in the House. Dustin Wade leads the Democratic field with $69,000, followed by Lindsey Daugherty and Stephen Miller-Pitts.
Elsewhere, House Minority Leader Todd Gilbert, who is eyeing a federal appointment as U.S. Attorney, has raised $119,000. His Democratic challenger, Catherine Elizabeth Rec, has pulled in just $1,400 since launching her campaign in February.
And in the only Republican House primary so far, Del. Terry Austin, R-Botetourt, has dramatically outraised challenger Austen Schwend with $30,000 to just under $3,000.
With more than six months until Election Day, the cash race is just getting started. But in Virginia politics, early dollars often spell early momentum — and that’s something no candidate can afford to ignore.
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www.youtube.com – 13News Now – 2025-04-30 14:54:32
SUMMARY: I’m 13 News Now meteorologist Evan Stewart. It’s Wednesday, April 30th, with warm temperatures in the 80s across Hampton Roads and Eastern Shore, over 10° above average. A frontal boundary near North Carolina could trigger isolated showers and thunderstorms later today and into the evening. While severe weather is impacting Texas and nearby areas with tornado risks, Hampton Roads faces a low, level one risk for isolated strong storms. Thursday remains warm with a slight 20% rain chance, and Friday brings more late-day showers and storms. A slow-moving front will increase weekend rain chances, possibly lingering into early next week with cooler weather.
There will be several chances for rain showers and potentially even storms through the weekend.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Shirleen Guerra | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-30 12:55:00
(The Center Square) – Virginia just logged one of the sharpest drops in fentanyl deaths in the country — down 44% from last year and nearly cut in half since 2021—Gov. Glenn Youngkin says it’s proof his crackdown is working.
The administration credits everything from drug seizures to tougher laws on dealers, plus a massive naloxone rollout. “Overdose deaths skyrocketed across America and in Virginia, driven primarily by illicit fentanyl flowing across our southern border. With an average of five dying Virginians each day, in 2022, we launched a comprehensive effort to stop the scourge of fentanyl, it’s working, and Virginia is leading,” said Youngkin.
He also tied the drop to border enforcement, echoing President Trump’s argument that immigration policy is key to stopping fentanyl from entering the U.S.
“Our approach stands on four principles: interrupt the drug trade, enhance penalties for drug dealers, educate people about the dangers of fentanyl, and equip them to save the life of someone in crisis,” said Youngkin in astatement.
According to the Virginia Department of Health, fatal overdoses across all substances fell by34.1% in 2024compared to the year before — the sharpest drop since the epidemic peaked in 2021.
Trump’s recent moves include a new order cracking down on sanctuary cities, more troops at the southern border and a pledge to ramp up deportations.
“We have turned the tide in this battle and must now redouble our efforts to build on our success,” said Dr. Colin Greene, Special Advisor on Opioid Response.
In Virginia, Youngkin’s team points to several key efforts behind the numbers. Operation FREE, a joint law enforcement initiative, has seized enough fentanyl to kill every Virginian ten times over, according to the administration. The commonwealth also banned pill presses, expanded penalties for dealers, and now requires schools to notify parents when student overdoses happen.
Since 2022, nearly 400,000 doses of naloxone have been distributed statewide, and almost 100,000 Virginians have been trained to use it. First Lady Suzanne Youngkin’s “It Only Takes One” campaign is also part of the strategy — aimed at raising awareness among families, schools and local communities.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Right
The article presents a clear ideological perspective, with a tone that strongly supports Governor Glenn Youngkin’s policies on combating fentanyl deaths. It emphasizes the success of Youngkin’s efforts, such as drug seizures, tougher laws, and border enforcement, which aligns with conservative viewpoints, particularly regarding immigration policy and law enforcement. The framing of the issue—highlighting Youngkin’s leadership and drawing connections to President Trump’s immigration stance—reinforces a right-leaning narrative, suggesting that tougher border control is key to solving the fentanyl crisis. The article does not present significant counterpoints or explore opposing viewpoints on these measures, which could balance the coverage. Overall, the content reflects a pro-administration stance, particularly aligning with the policies of the Republican Party.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Jon Styf | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-30 12:17:00
(The Center Square) – The Washington Commanders $2.7 billion stadium project touted at a Monday press conference as mainly funded by the team actually includes more than $2.5 billion worth of subsidies, according to the stadium financing blog Field of Schemes.
Neil DeMause, who covers publicly funded stadium projects across the country, published the proposed stadium agreement term sheet while adding up those costs beyond the $500 million through Sports Facilities Fee with a tax capture at the stadium that would be created to pay off bonds, along with $175 million for the parking structure. Events DC, which is partially funded through taxpayer money, will put $181 million toward parking garages on the property and D.C. will pay $202 million for utilities infrastructure, roadways and a WMATA transit study.
DeMause detailed the Commanders’ tax savings, including a $429 million property tax break because the city owns the stadium, $1 a year in rent over the 30-year lease term on federal land where the city has control of development that is estimated to be worth $1 billion.
“This is being sold as one of the smallest public contributions to an NFL stadium on a percentage basis,” DeMause told The Center Square. “But, once you count all of the different subsidies including tax breaks and other things like that. First of all, that’s not even true on a percentage basis but, secondly, this could be the easily the largest public subsidy for any stadium deal in history and the public is set to get nothing back.”
While the district will pay for portions of the stadium project, it will not receive any of the revenue from events at the stadium, stadium naming rights, personal seat licenses or parking on the 180-acre site.
The issue with a city taking revenue from a stadium it owns and paid to build has come up in Ohio with a pair of budget office reports on a proposed $600 million subsidy from the state of Ohio, where the office recommended the “state receive revenue-sharing from events commensurate with our property ownership share.”
Despite the claims from D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Commanders co-owner Josh Harris and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell at Monday’s press conference, research from economists on stadium projects has consistently shown that those projects do not bring the promised returns to taxpayers.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Left
The article leans toward a Center-Left perspective primarily through its critical framing of the Washington Commanders’ stadium funding. The tone and language emphasize the significant public subsidies and tax breaks involved, highlighting concerns about the burden on taxpayers and questioning the claimed minimal public contribution. The inclusion of expert opinions and references to economic research skeptical of stadium-related public investments further signals a critical stance on government spending that benefits private entities. While the article reports factual details and figures, it selects information and frames it in a way that challenges pro-subsidy arguments, a common theme in Center-Left critiques of public funding for private projects.
