Youngkin breaks fundraising records for statehouse Republicans

Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) continues to show he is the most effective 2024 presidential candidate not running by breaking all-time commonwealth fundraising records in advance of November’s statehouse elections.

His Spirit of Virginia political action committee reported Tuesday that it has raised $15.5 million this year to help turn the state Senate Republican and keep the House in GOP hands.

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In doing so, the Republican broke records set by former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe, whom Youngkin defeated in 2021. McAuliffe was often heralded as a national fundraising champion who led the money teams for former President Bill Clinton and former 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

Youngkin’s numbers blew McAuliffe’s records away. His PAC reported:

• In the third quarter, Youngkin raised $7.45 million, nearly five times the quarterly record set by McAuliffe, who raised $1.55 million in the fourth quarter of 2015.
• Since Sept. 1, Youngkin has raised more than $5 million. That one-month haul beat McAuliffe’s single-year fundraising record of $4.77 million in 2015.
• Over two days this week, he raised $4.4 million, more than the combined total of the previous quarterly fundraising records set by Gov. Ralph Northam, McAuliffe, and Bob McDonnell.

And, the PAC said, he chipped in $500,000 of his own money to make good his promise to focus on turning the legislature red.

Fundraising is just one area in which Youngkin has succeeded and drawn attention as a possible 2024 GOP candidate. Despite media reports he wants to run, Youngkin has consistently said his top priority was giving Republicans control of Richmond and seeing his agenda passed.

“Gov. Youngkin has now raised $15.5 million since March 1, 2023, to support our candidates. Due to our incredible nominees, the opportunity we have to move Virginia forward, and our generous donors, we have already surpassed our own internal goal for the year, but we have more work to do. There is too much at stake, and with five weeks to go, we know the progressive liberal Left will continue to outraise and outspend us. Gov. Youngkin is all-in on making Virginia the best place to live, work, and raise a family,” Spirit of Virginia Chairman Dave Rexrode said in a statement shared with Secrets.

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The report follows a new poll showing that Virginia appears to be trending Republican after voting for Democratic presidential candidates. In the latest, former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden are tied.

But Democrats continue to exude confidence in doing well in the fall general assembly races. National Democratic consultant Simon Rosenberg, who hosted a meeting on the races last night, said, “Things feel good there — early vote is good, polls are good, money is good, but there are lots of undecideds, and we struggled in 2021. Cannot take a single vote for granted. We just need to put our heads down, blow out the early vote, and bring this critical election home in the coming days.”