Virginia may have three open congressional seats this year, but the races aren’t all that contested. Only one of the seats is highly competitive. So what do the campaign finance numbers have to say about the congressional races this year?
Some of the largest campaign war chests are being assembled in some of the safest seats in Virginia. Take Congressman Gerry Connolly, the Democrat from Northern Virginia. He’s raised about $1.6 million. And he has no challenger.
Jennifer Victor at George Mason University says that number might have helped scare away any potential challengers, and it could help set Connolly up for a leadership position in the Democratic Caucus. “When we see candidates raising a lot of money sometimes it means they have greater ambitions for higher positions within the legislature or for higher office."
Quentin Kidd at Christopher Newport University says the fundraising numbers could also play an important role in Governor Terry McAuliffe’s decision about filling Tim Kaine’s Senate seat if he becomes vice president. Congressman Don Beyer has raised $1.6 million. Congressman Bobby Scott has raises less than half a million.
“Don Beyer is sending a very loud message to Terry McAuliffe and to other Democrats across Virginia that I want to be appointed to that Senate seat and if I get appointed I can raise the money to be able to run two statewide elections one after the other."
If that person is more than a placeholder, he or she would have to finance a statewide campaign in 2017 and then another statewide race in 2018.
