Va. gubernatorial candidates net huge contributions early

By Brian McNeill

Published: July 15, 2008

Although the election won’t happen for another 16 months, the three candidates in Virginia’s 2009 governor’s race are already raking in piles of campaign cash.

Del. Brian Moran, a Democrat from Alexandria and chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, collected roughly $1.38 million from 939 donors during the first six months of 2008, according to campaign finance documents filed Tuesday.

“We beat ’em,” said Jesse F. Ferguson, Moran’s campaign spokes-man. “We are fairly pleased.”

In the tussle to become the Democratic nominee for governor, Moran is facing off against Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, a Bath County Democrat who represents Charlottes-ville and most of Albemarle County.

During the first half of this year, Deeds brought in $782,586 from 1,115 contributors.

On the Republican side, Attorney General Bob McDonnell is uncontested for his party’s nomination next year. McDonnell reported raising $878,492 from 593 contributors.

McDonnell, who was formerly a delegate representing Virginia Beach, defeated Deeds with a 323-vote margin in the 2005 statewide attorney general race.

Of the three candidates, McDonnell had the most cash left in his campaign accounts at the mid-point of 2008.

He had roughly $1.2 million left in the bank, while Moran had $924,292 and Deeds had $650,452.

Phil Cox, a political strategist with the McDonnell campaign, said that the attorney general’s war chest advantage puts McDonnell in a good position while the Democratic candidates are squabbling amongst themselves in their contested primary.

“This is a long ballgame and we’re just in the first couple innings,” Cox said. “But the name of the game is getting strong financial support to get our message out. We’re off to a very good start.”

Peter Jackson, spokes-man for the Deeds campaign, said that his candidate and his Democratic rival are drawing closer together when it comes to money in the bank.

“At this point, the goal for any campaign is to save money, not spend it,” he said.

The three candidates are vying to succeed Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, a Richmond Democrat. Vir-ginia governors are not allowed to serve two consecutive terms.

The Democratic Party of Virginia has not yet decided if it will hold a convention or a primary election to name its gubernatorial nominee.

The party’s state central coordinating committee will make that decision toward the end of the year.

Several Charlottesville-area residents are among the hundreds of campaign contributors listed in the reports filed Tuesday with the Virginia State Board of Elections.

Charlottesville resident Joan Fenton, owner of the retail stores Quilts Unlimi-ted/J. Fenton Gallery, wrote Moran a check for $5,000. Mark Fried, a Crozet resident and real estate developer, gave Moran $50,000.

Meanwhile, Hunter E. Craig, president of a Charlottesville-based real estate investment company, gave McDonnell $5,000.

Among Deeds’ local contributions were: $2,000 from Brass Inc., a Charlottesville investment firm; $4,000 from University of Virginia business professor William J. Kehoe; and $5,000 from Charlottesville homemaker Sonjia S. Smith. Austin Ligon, who is the former president and CEO of CarMax and a member of UVa’s Board of Visitors, gave Deeds $50,000.

G. Willis Logan, owner of the Virginia Shop at Barracks Road Shopping Center, said he gave Deeds a little more than $2,000 because he sees the senator as politically moderate, pro-business and able to bridge the state’s divide between its rural and urban areas. “He’s an exciting, exciting candidate,” Logan said. “I see [the campaign contribution] as an investment in public policy.”