Virginia Republican George Allen raised more than $1.5 million in the first fundraising quarter, leaving him with nearly $1.25 million cash on hand in his bid to re-claim his old U.S. Senate seat in Virginia in 2012.
Allen’s campaign raised the money in less than 10 weeks, for an average of more than $150,000 a week in contributions. First-quarter campaign finance numbers are due April 15.
But Allen is getting challenged from both the left and the right on his stance – or lack thereof – the budget deal struck last week that cut $38 billion in federal spending and only narrowly avoided a government shutdown.
Tea party challenger Jamie Radtke called the compromise “inadequate,” and called on Allen to take a stand.
“If the Washington establishment can’t agree to cut more than 1% of the budget when we have a $14-plus trillion debt that is destroying our economy, they’re not serious,” she said in a statement.
Former Gov. Tim Kaine, a Democrat running for the Senate seat, said on WTTG-TV said he thought the compromise was the way to go. But he, too, blasted Allen for not taking a stand on a critical national issue.
“You’re either for a shutdown or you’re for the compromise, and there’s no middle position,” said Kaine. “I think everybody can state and should state, if they want to be in public office, would they have shut the government down or are they for a compromise?”
