Gov. Bob McDonnell’s political action committee spent $2.4 million between July and September to boost Republican efforts to win back the state Senate and maintain the GOP majority in the House of Delegates.
Nearly $1.3 million of his expenditures were in the form of two September payments to the Republican Party of Virginia. House Speaker Bill Howell also doled out $815,000 through his PAC, including $200,000 for the state party.
Campaign finance reports covering the last three months were due to the State Board of Elections on Monday. Candidate reports are only for September while PAC reports cover the entire third quarter.
Fighting to hold onto the last seat of power they still control in the statehouse, Senate Democrats outspent their Republican counterparts $1.3 million to $976,000. They also have more cash on hand than the Senate Republican Caucus, $1.5 million to $471,000.
Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslow gave Senate Democrats $350,000 since Sept. 1.
Democrats hold a narrow 22-18 majority in the Senate heading into November’s election. Republicans need to net two seats to gain control of the chamber because Republican Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling holds the tie-breaking vote.
