Democrats are spending limited funds in Northern Virginia Senate districts that were supposed to have grown more favorable to their candidates as they fight to hold onto a 22-18 majority. Sens. George Barker and David Marsden received more money from the Democratic Party of Virginia than any other legislators through the Sept. 30 filing period, and Sen. Mark Herring is the fourth highest recipient. All hail from Northern Virginia, where Republicans have managed to challenge nearly every race leading to the Nov. 8 election. Statewide, 16 Democratic incumbents have contested elections to just three GOP incumbents.
Barker, Marsden and Herring have significant fundraising advantages over their Republican counterparts, even without the six-figure sums the state party doled out.
“Those are competitive districts. Fairfax County is a swing district and those are expensive places to run campaigns,” Democratic Party spokesman Brian Coy said. “We’re taking nothing for granted.”
If Republicans are unsuccessful in those races, Democrats were still pushed to spend more than half a million dollars and one-third of their 2011 revenues on three races, despite the privilege of redrawing the Senate maps to favor their party during the redistricting process earlier this year, analysts said.
Republicans will effectively control the Senate if they net two seats on election night because Republican Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling holds the tie-breaking vote.
Republicans are expected to look south to pick up wins, but if there are any up for grabs in the north, focus seems to be on two open seats in the beltway and the 17th District race, said Stephen Farnsworth, an expert on Virginia politics at George Mason University. Longtime Sen. Edd Houck has raised nearly $1 million with $419,000 still in his war chest to face Republican Bryce Reeves, the recipient of $189,000 in GOP money — more than all but one other candidate.
Democrats continue to paint the two Republicans in the open races — former Del. Dick Black in the 13th and Caren Merrick in the 31st — as too conservative for traditionally moderate districts. Farnsworth said Republicans would have a better chance in some northern districts if better candidates emerged.
“Would we like to have an easier run? Of course. We’d like to have candidates so popular we don’t have to spend any money,” Republican Party spokesman Garren Shipley said. “But we’re doing really well with the candidates that the voters gave us.”
