2011 Election Cycle Campaign Finance Data
Total legislative campaign spending reached nearly $60 million in this election cycleThe campaign finance numbers from the 2011 election cycle are in. In a year where we saw Republicans winning the decennial redistricting debate, aggressively recruiting candidates across the state, and wisely coordinating efforts with Governor Bob McDonnell’s Opportunity Virginia PAC, Democrats suffered a crushing blow to their numbers in both the House and Senate.
Perhaps as a result of the current economic climate, there was a significant overall spending decrease of more than 13 percent since the last time both houses were up for reelection. Republicans maintained a modest fundraising advantage that helped produce the GOP’s two-thirds majority in the House and a 20-20 split in the Senate, now tipped in the GOP’s favor thanks to Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling’s tie-breaking vote.
Total legislative campaign spending reached nearly $60 million in this election cycle – down slightly from the $68 million total of four years ago.
On average, it cost $620,000 for a Senate campaign and $188,000 for a House campaign. A record number of 15 individual Senate campaigns topped the $1 million mark.
The latest campaign finance data for all 140 members of the General Assembly can be found here: http://www.vafree.com/members/
A breakdown of House and Senate campaign spending over the last 20 years can be found here: http://www.vafree.com/index.
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