Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell’s political action committee, Opportunity Virginia, hauled in more than $500,000 in the first quarter and had $1.91 million in cash as of March 31, a hefty war chest as lawmakers gear up for the 2011 elections that will (in theory) take place this November.
“The strong financial position of the governor’s PAC will allow him to support candidates for the General Assembly this November who support his agenda and share his goal of bringing new jobs and greater opportunity to every region of the commonwealth,” said senior political advisor Phil Cox.
Meanwhile, Liberty Now, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s PAC, brought in nearly $30,000 in the quarter and finished with about $50,000 in cash on hand, according to the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project, which tracks political money in the state.
House Speaker William J. Howell’s Dominion Leadership Trust PAC reported more than $1 million in cash on hand for the same reporting period — more than twice as much for the same period in the 2009 election cycle.
Howell, R-Stafford, also reported the most cash on hand — about $235,000 — among individual House members’ committees, while Senate Majority Leader Richard Saslaw, D-Fairfax, outpaced his fellow Senate colleagues with $859,813 on hand.
