By Greg Giroux CQ-Roll Call
The bulk of the $7.1 million that the two candidates in the Nov. 3 election for governor of Virginia reporting raising in the first three weeks of October went to front-running Republican Bob McDonnell.
McDonnell a former state legislator and attorney general raised $4 million in cash and in-kind contributions during that period taking his total campaign receipts to date to $21.5 million.
Democrat Creigh Deeds a state senator took in $3.1 million during the three-week period most of it from the Democratic National Committee which is headed by outgoing Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine . Deeds has raised $16.3 million for the duration of his campaign.
Entering the final two weeks of the campaign McDonnell had $1.8 million left to spend and Deeds had $938000.
McDonnell received a big boost this month from the state Republican Party which reported $1 million in in-kind expenses to his campaign for direct mail. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reported $973000 in in-kind donations to the McDonnell campaign for media services; the business federation has aired television advertisements promoting McDonnell and criticizing Deeds positions on transportation policy.
McDonnell received $50000 in contributions from Richard Gilliam an executive with Cumberland Resources Group who has given $175000 to McDonnells campaign and from Smithfield Foods. Sheldon Adelson a casino executive gave $20000.
Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran gave $10000 to McDonnells campaign through his leadership organization Senate Victory Fund PAC.
McDonnell received contributions from former New York Sen. Alfonse M. DAmato (1981-99); former Pennsylvania Rep. Phil English (1995-2009); a political action committee linked to former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson (1994-2003) who sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2008; and Scott Rigell an auto dealership owner who is a leading Republican candidate in Virginias 2nd District held by Democratic Rep. Glenn Nye .
Of the $2.76 million in cash contributions that Deeds reported raising in the first three weeks of October $1.7 million (63 percent) came directly from the DNC which has given Deeds $3.5 million.
Deeds who is backed by labor unions received $100000 from the American Federation of Teachers and $75000 from the Communications Workers of America.
Deeds also received $2400 from the campaign committee of Virginia Rep. James P. Moran whose brother former state Rep. Brian Moran was a rival of Deeds for the Democratic nomination for governor.
The novelist John Grisham gave $25000 to Deeds campaign. Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota (1987-2005) gave $1000 as did former Virginia Republican Gov. Linwood Holton Jr. who is also Kaines father-in-law
