Political Fundraising Takes a Hit

First-quarter campaign finance reports offer clear indications that political fundraising is not immune from the coronavirus pandemic.

In normal times, you would expect a big spike in donations in the last week of March, as candidates urge donors to respond before the March 31 deadline. ActBlue, which processes donations for many Democratic candidates and committees, showed a much smaller spike this year.

ActBlue Donations in March (2018-20)

Q1 Deadline Coincided with Economic Fallout

One week before the March 31 deadline, Gov. Northam canceled the rest of the school year across Virginia and banned gatherings of more than 10 people, which shuttered many businesses.

By April 2, the Labor Department reported nationwide payrolls had been slashed by 700,000 jobs, which The Wall Street Journal noted "dwarfs the most significant economic downturns of the post-World War II era."

The full extent of the impact on political fundraising will become more apparent in July, when General Assembly candidates are scheduled to report donations for the first half of 2020.

Source: Campaign Finance Reports on file with the Virginia Department of Elections. Excludes donations made on March 1-3 in order to compare full weeks