Bob McDonnell leads in fundraising

McDonnell, who is uncontested for the Republican nomination, raised $1.6 million between July and December, and ended the year with $2 million on hand. He was aided especially by fundraisers with former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal.

McDonnell is expected to see larger infusions of cash in the coming months as the battered national Republican Party looks to use the 2009 Virginia governor’s race as a staging ground for its resurgence.

“I think the donors feel that, I think the Republican Party feels that,” said McDonnell campaign manager Phil Cox. “The campaign in 2009 in Virginia will certainly have national implications.”

Democrats are aiming to continue their years-long run of Old Dominion political victories by electing a third consecutive governor in November, but are embroiled in a three-way race for the nomination with six months until the primary. Year-end war chests put each candidate on roughly equal financial footing entering 2009.

Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe, who formed a campaign committee in early November, raised $947,000 during the reporting period, with $718,000 left over at the end of December.

Brian Moran, who recently stepped down from his Alexandria seat in the House of Delegates to run full time, raised $755,000 and reported $769,000 on hand. Creigh Deeds, a Bath County state senator who lost a tight attorney general race to McDonnell in 2005, brought in $658,000 and had $891,000 on hand.

Moran spokesman Jesse Ferguson downplayed McDonnell’s cash lead, pointing to the fact that the money coming into the Democratic side of the race outstripped the Republican side.

“It shows there are enough people out there willing to invest in the right candidate to win the race against Bob McDonnell,” Ferguson said.