Some Newcomers Rely Heavily on a Single Donor

Fundraising for the next round of state House elections got off to its fastest start ever this year, with nearly two dozen challengers and open-seat candidates raising at least $10,000 by the end of June. There were two reasons for the quick start: Redistricting resulted in an unprecedented number of open seats, which created opportunities for newcomers. And it was possible the courts might schedule state House elections this November, a year sooner than expected. The visual below shows that in this accelerated timeline, many campaigns relied heavily on a single donor, often the candidate himself/herself or the advocacy group, Clean Virginia.

Reliance on Single Biggest Donor

Hover over square to see largest donor's name and % of total donations. Click on candidate name for complete list of donors.


Note: The list includes the 21 House of Delegates challengers and open seat candidates who reported raising more than $10,000 in Schedule A (cash donations) and Schedule E (loans) during the first six months of 2022. The next House elections will be held November 2023.

Source: Campaign finance disclosures filed with the Virginia Department of Elections

Aug. 15, 2022