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.
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 71st spent nearly $1 million on broadcast and cable advertising over the past month.
Jessica Anderson, the Democratic challenger for the 71st District seat held by Amanda Batten, raised nearly a third of all the funds, $1,419,937. Batten has raised $874,332.
The 71st District encompasses most of James City County, all of Williamsburg city and part of New Kent County. The district gave Democratic Presidential candidate Kamala Harris and Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine a majority of the vote in the last presidential election. Batten squeezed past Jessica Anderson, then a new candidate with little financial backing from her party, by 1.9 percentage points in 2023.
If Democrats paid little attention to Anderson’s campaign last time around, her performance got them to make up for it this election cycle.
The Virginia House Democratic Caucus donated $300,000 to Anderson’s campaign this past month alone, and the Democratic Party of Virginia another $92,029.
Mark Downey, the challenger for the 69th District seat, has raised $792,365, compared to $496,706 for incumbent Republican Chad Green. The 69th takes in parts of James City, York and Gloucester counties and a sliver of Newport News city and leans Republican.
In the past month the Democratic Party and the Virginia House Democratic Caucus contributed more than $200,000 to Downey’s campaign. The Republican Party of Virginia contributed $30,911 to Chad Green, with several Republican politicians contributing more than $60,000.
Independent Valerie Beverley has raised $2,233 for her campaign.
While the Democrats took in more donations from small donors who gave less than $100 each, the total donations from this group amounted to just a small percentage of the total they raised.
Batten’s campaign received $300,000 from the Republican State Leadership Committee Political Action Committee last month, $15,000 from Terry Kilgore’s delegate campaign, and $19,901 from the Republican party.
The district’s races have spent nearly $1 million on broadcast advertising since Sept. 1 -- $553,720 for Anderson and $441,597 for Batten, according to compilations by Kantar Media Group.
By contrast, the local races in James City County are a drop in the financial bucket, and the two Republican candidates for the board of supervisors race in Jamestown and Powhatan districts have raised more than their Democratic opponents.
John Slokovitz, Republican challenger for the Jamestown seat, has raised $27,144 compared to $14,491 for incumbent Democrat Jim Icenhour.
In the Powhatan seat being vacated by Michael J. Hipple, Republican Tracy Leigh Wainwright has raised $21,144 vs. $12,107 for her Democratic opponent, Ti’Juana Gholson. Both women are political newcomers.
Democratic newcomer Ty Hodges has raised the most money in the race for the Jamestown School Board seat -- $12,832. Incumbent Sarah Ortego, who is the current school board chair, has raised $7.505.
No Trick — Halloween hours for little ghouls
Williamsburg, James City and York counties have set trick-or-treat hours for children 12 and under as 6-8 p.m. on Halloween Night, Oct. 31.
As usual, residents who don’t want visits from young ghouls and goblins (boo, hiss!) should leave their porch lights off.
James City County police offered these safety tips for trick-or-treaters and their families:
Costume Safety: Choose costumes that are easy to walk in and short enough to prevent tripping. Ensure they are made from non-flammable materials and are easily visible in the dark. Consider adding reflective tape to enhance visibility.
Plan Your Route: Trick-or-treaters should plan their route, selecting familiar neighborhoods that are well-lit. Only visit homes that have their porch lights on.
Supervise Young Children: Young children should never go trick-or-treating without an adult or older sibling accompanying them.
Tips for Older Children: Older children who go out without an adult should do so in a group, ensuring their route and return time is approved by a caretaker.
Visibility: Carry a flashlight or glow stick to light the way and increase visibility to drivers.
Crossing the Street: Trick-or-treaters should cross streets only at intersections. Never cross between parked cars or in the middle of the block. Whenever possible, stay on sidewalks.
Walking in the Road: If there is no sidewalk, walk as far left of the roadway as possible and face oncoming traffic.
Watch for Hazards: When approaching a house, be cautious of candles in Jack-O-Lanterns or other decorations that could catch clothing on fire.
Stranger Safety: Never enter the home of a stranger, even if invited inside.
Tip for Drivers: Drivers should be watchful for trick-or-treaters, who may not be aware of their surroundings.
Candy Inspection: Candy should not be eaten until an adult has inspected it. Discard any treats that are not in their original packaging.
Report Suspicious Activity: Any suspicious candy or activity should be reported to the Police Department as soon as possible.
Passings
John R. Struck, Jr., age 73, Oct. 12.
William G. Lancellotti Jr. 94, Oct. 13.
Josephine Blanchard , 87. Oct. 15.