Election 2025: Statewide campaign finance reports and a VEDP committee has a briefing tomorrow

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership celebrates 30 years in 2025 as a body that seeks to “encourage the expansion and diversification of Virginia’s economy.”

The Legislative and Policy Committee of the VEDP’s Board of Directors will meet on September 17 in Harrisonburg at the Student Success Center at James Madison University. There’s a useful briefing in the agenda that helps frame this story. (agenda)

As Albemarle County continues to increase the role that economic development plays in local government, the agendas of such meetings are of interest to see if there might be any information that may prove useful in the future.

The agenda for this particular meeting has a preview for the upcoming election on November 4 and this briefing is a useful prompt.

Early voting begins in three days on September 19 and you can register to vote through October 24. October 24 is also the last day you can request a mail-in ballot.

Need to check your registration status? The Virginia Department of Elections has a Citizen Portal and everyone is encouraged to take a look at their record.

Governor’s race

Virginia is the only state in the country that does not allow governors to be elected to two consecutive terms. That means a contested race every four years.

This time around, Democrat Abigail Spanberger faces Republican Winsome Earle-Sears at the top of the ballot. Spanberger served six years representing Virginia’s 7th District in the House of Representatives. Winsome Earle-Sears served one term in Virginia’s House of Delegates in the early 2000’s after winning the Lieutenant Governor’s race in 2021.

The Spanberger campaign began the latest campaign finance reporting period with $15,225,448 in the bank and raised $14,066,310 between July 1 and August 31. That includes nearly $10.6 million in cash contributions above $100. The biggest donor in the period is from a political action committee of the Democratic Governors Association. See the full list here on VPAP.

The Earle-Sears campaign had $4,554,273 in the bank on July 1 and raised $5,225,718 during the two months including $4,113,259 in cash contributions more than $100. The largest contribution is $500,000 from Robert L. Johnson and the second largest is from Spirit of Virginia, Governor Glenn Youngkin’s political action committee. See the full list here on VPAP.

Lieutenant Governor’s race

The Lieutenant Governor’s race puts a radio show host with no experience against a member of the Virginia Senate. Republican John Reid left his position at WRVA in Richmond earlier this year and faces State Senator Ghazala Hashmi (D-15).

Hashmi has the fundraising advantage and started the latest campaign finance reporting period with $1,276,652 in the bank. Through August 3 the campaign had raised $1,392,462 including just over $1 million in cash contributions over $100. There are a pair of $100,000 donations from the Clean Virginia Fund and the Committee on Political Education for the Service Employees International Union. (see the full list here)

Reid’s campaign had $163,082 in the bank on July 1 and raised $374,493 in the two months. That includes $301,769 in contributions above $100. The largest amount is $29,000 from the group Rally Virginia. (see the full list here)

Attorney General’s race

There are no rules stopping a Virginia Attorney General from seeking an additional term. In fact, Democrat Mark Herring was elected to the position in both 2013 and 2017.

Now Republican Jason Miyares is seeking a second term and faces Democrat Jay Jones, a member of the House of Delegates from 2018 to 2021.

On July 1, the Jones campaign had $1,238,826 in the bank and raised $4,045,714 in July and August. That includes $3,663,223 in cash contributions larger than $100. The largest is a $1.1 million contribution from the Democratic Attorneys General Association. (see the full list here)

Miyares began the period with nearly $7 million in the bank ($6,950,752) and raised $3,762,903 in the period. Most of that amount came in the form of contributions including $2 million from the Republican Attorney Generals of America Fund. (see the full list here)

House of Delegates races

The VEDP reports that this year, the Democratic Party broke a record by running a candidate in all 100 districts of the House of Delegates. The previous record was in 2021 when Republicans ran candidates in 98 districts. This time around, Republicans are running candidates in 85 districts.

There will be at least one new legislator in the region around Charlottesville. Republican Delegate Nick Freitas did not run for re-election to represent the 62nd District, which includes all of Greene County.

Republican Karen Hamilton is challenging Democratic Sara Ratcliffe. Frietas defeated Ratcliffe in 2023 with 61.65 percent of the vote.

Hamilton had a balance of $9,972 on hand as of July 1 and raised $19,794 during the reporting period. That includes $17,635 in contributions over $100. The largest among these comes from a political action committee for Delegate Terry Kilgore (R-45).

Ratcliffe began the campaign period with $25,515 in the bank and raised $24,148 in July and August. About three-quarters consists of contributions above $100 with the largest being a total of $2,500 from WinVirginia. (see the full list)

Both Delegate Katrina Callsen (D-54) and Delegate Amy Laufer (D-55) are running unopposed for their second terms. Both report campaign activity anyway.

Callsen had $60,415 in the bank on July 1 and raised an additional $28,863 in the period. Most of that came above the $100 threshold with the largest contribution from Counterspark Inc.

Laufer began the period with a balance of $63,659 and raised $25,739 in July and August with $20,885 in contributions above $100. The largest is $5,000 from the Clean Virginia Fund. During this period, the Laufer campaign contributed $42,000 to the Virginia House Democratic Caucus.

The 54th District covers all of Charlottesville and part of Albemarle County.

The 55th District covers the rest of Albemarle County, part of Louisa County, Nelson County, and a small sliver part of Fluvanna County.

The rest of Nelson County is in the 53rd District which is represented by Republican Tim Griffin. Griffin is running for re-election against Democrat Sam Soghor. This is a rematch of 2023, a race in which Griffin won with 70.56 percent of the vote.

Griffin had $17,391 in the bank on July 1 and raised $1,550 with $1,000 of that coming from University Education Services.

Soghor started the period with $3,862 in the bank and raised $2,813 with $1,620 above the threshold. That includes $1,250 from WinVirginia.

District 56 covers part of Fluvanna County and a small sliver of Louisa County. Former Congressman Tom Garrett, a Republican, was unopposed in the 2023 race but faces a Democratic challenger in Angela Chainer.

The Garrett campaign had $24,641 in the bank on July 1 and raised $50,210 in the two months. Over 99 percent that came in contributions over $100 with Dominion Electric’s political action committee giving $40,000.

Chainer had $2,655 to start with and raised $22,422 in July and August. That includes $15,885 in contributions over $100 with Sonjia Smith the largest at $5,000.

Before you go: The time to write and conduct research for this article is covered by paid subscribers to Charlottesville Community Engagement. In fact, this particular installment comes from the September 16, 2025 edition of the program. To ensure this research can be sustained, please consider becoming a paid subscriber or contributing monthly through Patreon.