Out-of-state donors may play crucial role in Virginia’s gubernatorial showdown

RICHMOND,Va.(WSET)—We’rejustweeksawayfromtheJuneprimaryforourstateelections.ThetopthreeseatsinVirginia’sexecutivebranchareupforgrabs,alongwith100seatsintheHouseofDelegates. Alleyesareonthehistoricgovernor’sracebetweenRepublicanWinsomeSearsandDemocratAbigailSpanberger,andthemoneyisrollingin. AccordingtotheVirginiaPublicAccessProject,Spanbergerrakedinnearly7milliondollarsinthefirstquarter.Searsbroughtinjustover$3.1million,butshe’splayingcatch-up,becauseshewasn’tallowedtofundraiseduringthelegislativesession. ABC13’spoliticalanalyst,Dr.DaveRichards,saidSearsandSpanbergeraregettingsimilaramountsofmoneyfrombothsmallandcorporatedonors.HesaidSears’abilitytocatch-upwillbekey. IwouldimagineatthispointthatSearscouldprobablyclosethatgap.IfitcomesdowntoAugustandsheisstillwellbehindSpanberger,that’snotagoodsignforhercampaign,becausethatmeansthatmaybepeopledon’tbel