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Reeves raises more than $290,000 in bid for Va. lieutenant governor

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April 14, 2016 at 4:49 p.m. EDT
Virginia state Sen. Bryce E. Reeves (R-Spotsylvania) with his son, Jack, then 8, and daughter, Nikki, 13, in January 2012, after being sworn in. Reeves is running for lieutenant governor. (Tracy A. Woodward/The Washington Post)

RICHMOND — Virginia state Sen. Bryce E. Reeves has more than $290,000 on hand for his 2017 campaign for lieutenant governor, the Spotsylvania Republican announced Thursday, one day ahead of a state fundraising deadline.

Reeves announced his candidacy in March, as the General Assembly was winding down its 60-day legislative session. Legislators are prohibited from raising money during that period.

Reeves collected more than $100,000 in direct contributions in the first two weeks after the session and transferred another $100,000 from his Senate campaign account. He ended the first quarter with nearly $293,000 in cash.

It is not clear how that compares with the fundraising efforts of his two declared Republican rivals for the nomination, Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel (Fauquier) and Del. Glenn R. Davis Jr. (Virginia Beach).

Reeves must report his finances Friday, because he is raising money through a political action committee, Revitalize Virginia PAC. PACs are required to file quarterly finance reports with the state. Traditional campaign accounts have to report finances only every six months in non-election years. The next reporting deadline for those is July.

Bryce Reeves to run for Virginia lieutenant governor

Reeves is a small-business man, former Army Ranger and former Prince William County narcotics detective. The second-term senator gained prominence this year as the leading Republican force behind a gun deal with Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D).

“As I’ve traveled across Virginia, I’ve been honored to receive the support of grass-roots leaders, veterans and my colleagues who are eager to elect an accomplished, conservative leader to bring about change in the Commonwealth,” Reeves said in a written statement. “Revitalize Virginia PAC’s significant fundraising in March and on-the-ground activities at 50 grassroots and conservative events have helped build momentum as we explore a run for Lieutenant Governor in 2017.”

The lieutenant governorship is a part-time office that is charged with presiding over the state Senate and breaking tied votes. The Senate has been closely divided between Republicans and Democrats in recent years, resulting in more ties for the lieutenant governor to break.

Democrat Ralph Northam, the current lieutenant governor, is running to succeed McAuliffe, who is term-limited. No Democratic candidates have announced bids to succeed Northam.