Out-of-state groups pump $6 million into Va. gubernatorial race
In another sign of the national significance of Virginia's gubernatorial race, out-of-state partisan groups have pumped an estimated $6 million into this year's contest, compared with $61,000 at this point in 2005.
Virginia and New Jersey are the only states choosing governors this year, in the first key elections after President Barack Obama's victory in November. Obama carried both states.
Republicans have their sights trained on reversing a string of Democratic victories in Virginia -- which is home to Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, chairman of the Democratic National Committee and a close friend of Obama.
From January 2006 to June 30, so-called 527 groups have given more than $3 million to Republican gubernatorial nominee Bob McDonnell and his Democratic opponent Creigh Deeds, according to the Virginia Public Access Project, which compiled the numbers.
That doesn't include the more than $2 million that the Democratic Governors Association has given to Common Sense Virginia, a political action committee set up to criticize McDonnell. While the three Democratic primary hopefuls battled, Common Sense Virginia ran TV ads hitting McDonnell.
The "527s do, often, say things that are more caustic than a campaign would be comfortable saying," said Jeff Ryer, press secretary to House Majority Leader H. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem.
The contributions also often come in large sums, grabbing attention. And voters can expect money from those groups to continue flowing.
"There isn't a lot going on in the year after a presidential election so these organizations are not as cross-pressured as they would be, say, in a presidential election year," said Steve Farnsworth, political scientist at George Mason University.
So-called 527 committees are named for the section of the federal tax code governing fundraising for activities such as voter mobilization and issue advocacy.
The Virginia law on reporting by such organizations was strengthened in 2006 after McDonnell's campaign for attorney general drew criticism from Democrats for accepting $2 million from a 527 group, the Republican State Leadership Committee, which did not have to disclose the source of its funds.
McDonnell was elected attorney general in 2005, defeating Deeds by 360 votes.
Virginia law now requires a 527 committee to register with the State Board of Elections as soon as it gives $10,000 or more to a Virginia candidate or political organization. It must disclose the sources of its money.
Some of McDonnell's donations came from the Republican Governors Association and the Presidential Coalition LLC, while Deeds' contributors included the Democratic Governors Association and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
Contact Olympia Meola at (804) 649-6812 or
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Staff writer Tyler Whitley contributed to this report.
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Reader Reactions
Anon, read Question Govt’s posts…Clinton had virtually nothing to do with the “budget surpluses” (there weren’t any), other than being presiden
What does it say when Virginia is only one of 2 states with gubernatorial election in November and the VA Democrats can’t even get their Democrat president to make an appearance?
The VA Democrats desperately wanted Obama to make an appearance at JS Reynolds but had to settle for Joe Biden.
Why? Obama valued the people of NJ more. Obama made a similar appearance that evening for John Corzine.
Regarding budget surpluses or deficits, let us remember that it is Congress - members of every party - that continually vote to spend money we do not have. It is not my intent to exclude Presidents from blame where they propose excessive spending or deny them credit for proposing fiscal restraint. However, the President’s “propose”, the Congress, “disposes” and clearly Congress has the Constitutional authority - a ethical duty - to prevent expenditures that are excessive.
CSmith704,
I’ve given your idea some thought. Wouldn’t it be easier to amend the US Constitution to bring back Bill Clinton. He was the only President in recent times to generate budget surpluses. I understand he is still available.
I think we Virginians should look outside the box in matters of politics. Washington is totally corrupted itself. They are doing things that are not in the US Constitution, spending money they or we don’t have and there is the matter of of 56 trillion dollars of future debt on our grandchildren. It is time for Virginia to secede from the UNION, I am serious. We should leave the UNION. Let ask our General Assembly to place on the 2010 ballot a referendum to leave the UNION. This is how Virginia can save itself from the disaster the Federal Government had placed us in. This way of thinking is not racist, because I am not white, but I am American, who wants to be free.
It is the greatest irony that the reason Virginia chose to hold its gubernatorial elections in uneven numbered years was to prevent them from being dominated by national politics. Talk about unintended consequences!
What we’re saeeing here is the ultimate in political free speech. Virginia has no limits on the amount of individual contribution a candidate may receive. Of the $3.4 million Deeds got between the June Democratic primary and June 30, fully $1.8 million of it came from out-of-state 527s. Noy as bad as McAuliffe during the primary, but considering Deeds criticized McAuliffe for taking aso much out-of-state cash, it’s significant.
McDonnell has gotten plenty of out-of-state money, too, but he hasn’t gone after anyone about it.
Bottom line is out-of-state campaign contributions should be banned. If a company that does business here but is headquartered in another state wants to contribute, they should be allowed. But the Republican and Democrat Governor’s Associations money should be banned. The Hollywood money McAuliffe brought in should be banned. The union money in a right-to-work statre sahould be banned. Friends who don’t live in Virginia ashould be banned.
This is a Virginia race. Let Virginians run it.
The increasing and very high levels of monetary and other involvement of out-of-state politicians and groups, whether they be Republican or Democratic supporters, is an extremely unhealthy sign of the degree to which the national political parties and special interest groups hope to dominate our State Government. It should be of grave concern to all objective Virginians. Whereas the Founding Fathers intended most governmental powers be left to the individual states, this “nationalization” of the Commonwealth’s electoral process operates to transfer influence over our elected officials from citizens of the Commonwealth to political operatives, activists in special interest groups outside Virginia, and large out-of-state business interests. In the process, individual Virginia citizens are being effectively disenfranchised and becomes increasingly easy for those at the Federal level to seize control over things the Constitution intended be left to state and local governments.
Gee- I wonder how much of the financial support for Democrats is coming from Mayor Bloomberg of NYC? No secret he has been hacked off at the Republican front runner since he was the Attorney General. When Bloomberg was sending his staff to Virginia in an attempt to illegally buy guns, the AG told him to knock it off, or face prosecution. Unable to manage his own kingdom, Bloomberg has been attempting to direct the elections in other states. Please pardon the expression- but YANKEE GO HOME!
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