Fund raising for local House of Delegate campaigns surpasses $3.5 million

Good morning! Candidates for our two house of delegates seats have raised more than $3 million, with nearly $1 million spent on broadcast ads last month in the 71st district alone.

Clockwise from top left, Jessica Anderson, Amanda Batten, Chad Green, Valerie Beverley, Mark Downey (candidate and Williamsburg Watch photos)

What are state House of Delegates seats that pay $18,000 a year worth? More than $3.5 million.

In the race for our area’s two hotly contested House of Delegates races, part of the fight to control the state legislature, Democratic candidates have raised nearly twice as much money as the two Republican incumbents as of Sept. 30, according to candidate filings with the state board of elections.

In the local board of supervisors races, which have far less spending, Republicans are outpacing their Democratic competition.

Through Sept. 30, the two Democrats for the House seats raised $2.2 million, vs. $1.37 million for the Republican incumbents. The two candidates for the 71^st spent nearly $1 million on broadcast and cable advertising over the past month.

Jessica Anderson, the Democratic challenger for the 71^st District seat held by Amanda Batten, raised nearly a third of all the funds, $1,419,937. Batten has raised $874,332.

The 71^st District encompasses most of James City County, all of Wil…