Campaign finance numbers show the fall campaign season is heating up. A handful of races feature Republican incumbents in districts won by Kamala Harris.
New campaign finance numbers show several Democratic challengers are outraising the Republican incumbents they're running against. May Nivar raised more money than incumbent Delegate David Owen of Goochland, and Kim Pope Adams has more cash on hand heading into the summer than incumbent Delegate Kim Taylor of Dinwiddie. Some of that disparity is because members of the General Assembly cannot raise money during session, says Republican operative Jeff Ryer.
"We have to keep in mind when we are looking at each of these incumbents that there was 46 out of the 90 days where they couldn't raise a dime," Ryer explains. "And that does have an effect on their numbers although some clearly prepared a little better than others."
But Democrats are not just targeting Republicans in Harris seats. They also have their eyes on Republicans in marginal Trump districts, like Delegate Chris Obenshain in the New River Valley. Democratic challenger Lily Franklin raised almost four times as much money in the first quarter.
"What this really comes down to is can she get enough margin on the campus of Virginia Tech to overcome what is otherwise a fairly solid Republican seat if Virginia Tech wasn't in it," asks Democratic operative Ben Tribbett.
Overall, Democrats raised about seven times as much money as Republicans in the first quarter of 2025.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
