To paraphrase Method Man, money is powerful stuff. In the race for Jim Webb’s U.S. Senate seat, former Virginia governor Tim Kaine is the first to declare his dollar dollar bills, y’all. (At least, for the second fundraising quarter.)
According to an announcement from the Democratic candidate’s campaign team, Kaine raised $2.25 million in donations during the fundraising quarter that runs from April 1 to June 30. Candidates have until July 15 to post their quarterly fundraising totals. More than 4,600 people contributed to Kaine’s total, according to his campaign.
GOP challenger and former senator George Allen—who, like Kaine, attended a Saturday parade in Crozet—is yet to announce his fundraising total for the second quarter. DUring the first quarter, Allen raised $1.5 million. However, he announced his candidacy on January 24. Tea Party candidate Jamie Radtke raised $150,000 between her announcement and the end of the first quarter.* A spokesperson for Horizon Television Executive Director Tim Donner, a GOP candidate and president of the One Generation Away political organization, says Donner has raised $206,000 since he declared his candidacy in April, though $115,000 of that was self-financed.
Kaine press secretary Brandi Hoffine says in a statement that the candidate’s team will focus on "building on our strong network of grassroots supporters…and making sure every Virginia voter has the opportunity to hear his plans for creating jobs, growing our economy and restoring fiscal discipline in Washington."
CNN’s Political Ticker blog cited a recent Quinnipiac poll that put Kaine one percentage point above Allen.
*The post originally stated that Radtke raised funds entirely in the first quarter. She actually declared her intention on December 27, prior to the start of the first quarter.