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Gubernatorial, senate candidates report cash, campaign contributions

Two Democrats and a Republican running for governor in 2009 have substantial early cash reserves in girding for an expensive race.

All three filed reports last week with the State Board of Elections.

The Republican, Attorney General Bob McDonnell, finished the first half of 2008 with the most money on hand, nearly $1.2 million.

His gubernatorial and attorney general committees have raised $1.46 million to date, 60 percent of it since January.

Democratic Senator Creigh Deeds of Bath County has received $900,000 so far with 85 percent since January. He entered July with $650,000 in the bank.

Democratic Delegate Brian Moran reported raising $1.38 million for the period and had $923,000 on hand.

Democrat Mark Warner and Republican Jim Gilmore also filed campaign reports last week that Warner with a huge edge over Gilmore. Warner entered July with $5.1 million on hand compared to less than $117,000 for Jim Gilmore.

Warner has raised more than $9 million since entering the race for in September to nearly $1.2 million for Gilmore.

Warner is using his enormous edge in cash to air a television ad on energy policy across much of the state. In it Warner implies that he supports offshore oil drilling – a course contrary to the highly nuanced position he outlined last month.

With his enormous fundraising advantage and a comfortable lead in statewide polls, Warner has used his edge to run two ads this summer in hopes of defining himself favorably before Gilmore gets the chance to create a different impression.

Warner told supporters on June 18 he supported letting oil companies search for oil and gas off the Virginia coast if Congress lifts its 19-year ban, but drew the line at drilling production wells.

“Mark Warner’s lying to the people of Virginia again,” Gilmore spokeswoman Ana Gamonal said in an interview.

In a news release, she said Warner’s ad implies his support for oil production “despite the fact that he clearly intends to do just the opposite if elected.”

Warner’s press secretary, Kevin Hall, said the 30-second spot was consistent with Warner’s call for exploration, provided coastal states are given a say on whether to allow drilling in their waters and to ensure environmental questions are answered.

“No one except Jim Gilmore thinks this (offshore drilling) is the silver bullet to high gas prices,” Hall said.

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