Some observations about the money in this year’s local elections
The Virginia Public Access Project is a non-partisan organization that seeks to foster transparency in Virginia’s politics and government. They make it super easy to see how much money candidates have raised and who candidates are taking money from.
We went on a little real-time dig last night into the $$$ in some of the local races, here is what jumped out.
Let's play VPAP and see what pops up. Going to put this out as I get into so let's go.
— South Richmond News (@srnrva) August 31, 2024
Starting at Richmond Local Elections on VPAP https://t.co/UM4lfK6Cbn
There is a lot of money in the mayors race. Or it seems like a lot anyway. Surprised to see Avula up there with Roday & impressed at what Addison has done with so much less. pic.twitter.com/3q3xJBcNYr
— South Richmond News (@srnrva) August 31, 2024
Avula has some big donors and 1 *BIG* donor – Kenneth R. Newsome, Executive Chairman at Markel Food Group. This is the first time Newsome has donated either this much, to a Richmond election, or to a Democrathttps://t.co/3hl8tMt2Sv pic.twitter.com/StTdTKH69n
— South Richmond News (@srnrva) August 31, 2024
ok Roday has way more big donors that Avula, his largest donor is Thomas McInerney – President and Chief Executive Officer of Genworth. McInerney has donated to almost everyone – from Ghazala Hashmi to Winsome Sears https://t.co/3fnliLJyqq pic.twitter.com/PjAjyI2Smb
— South Richmond News (@srnrva) August 31, 2024
Only 45% of Roday's $$$$ is coming from Virginia. Of that, only just over $46,000 is from Richmond – he's got $129,000 from Henrico https://t.co/86KvvUjE5K pic.twitter.com/RIMExVN6j2
— South Richmond News (@srnrva) August 31, 2024
Avula's $$$ is 90% from VA, and most of that from Richmond https://t.co/w2gDdr42U2 pic.twitter.com/QSmTNElVRU
— South Richmond News (@srnrva) August 31, 2024
Michelle Mosby has raised almost half of Roday & Avula, without having *any* giant donors. 97% of Mosby's $$$ is from VA, most of that from Richmond. There are $24,500 worth of "In-Kind" donations from JJ Minor https://t.co/jX1IfwGc0Z pic.twitter.com/Dmuuvq237J
— South Richmond News (@srnrva) August 31, 2024
Andreas Addison is betting on himself, he's his own top donor. He doesn't have any huge donors. His money is from Virginia, and mostly Richmond. pic.twitter.com/KeryHywUAJ
— South Richmond News (@srnrva) August 31, 2024
And Maurice Neblett pic.twitter.com/cSZ7Egb17M
— South Richmond News (@srnrva) August 31, 2024
Compare that to the money in the 5th District School Board contest pic.twitter.com/tFvCzJOHvX
— South Richmond News (@srnrva) August 31, 2024
8th District City Council is WAY lopsided. Reva's not pulling in HUGE amounts like the Mayoral candidates, but it adds up. pic.twitter.com/10p0OKMlQb
— South Richmond News (@srnrva) August 31, 2024
8th District School Board is 2 way between Johnson and Cruz. One of these guys is going to win having spent less than $5,000 easy. https://t.co/mhiXrl2klP pic.twitter.com/3fjnfSJ7fw
— South Richmond News (@srnrva) August 31, 2024
9th District is interesting – Jones was School Board, got appointed Council in December. So incumbent but not incumbent. Of Starling's $3,625 only $125 is other people's money. $3,000 is In-Kind from Baylor Design Studio, other $500 is from Starling https://t.co/qst2PHgo3O pic.twitter.com/dYzHOjptsQ
— South Richmond News (@srnrva) September 1, 2024
4th District School Board race has no incumbent and some decent $$$$https://t.co/EB4y5XQMFb pic.twitter.com/wz980H7ADe
— South Richmond News (@srnrva) September 1, 2024
Almost $52,000 of Sawyer's $$$ come from himself. There's a loan to the campaign and then $6,888 that come from "Transfers in from other Committees Controlled by this Candidate" – he spent a minute thinking about the mayoral and council races. pic.twitter.com/e0NrbQMfPQ
— South Richmond News (@srnrva) September 1, 2024
Hedgepeth's largest donor is also a loan to himself. Money is a mix of small and smaller donations. pic.twitter.com/w8667Dh7VQ
— South Richmond News (@srnrva) September 1, 2024
ok – 6th District City Council has a ton of money, the most of any race in the city beside the mayoral contest pic.twitter.com/abixYhaG1z
— South Richmond News (@srnrva) September 1, 2024
Robertson as a LONG LONG LONG term incumbent is plugged in, $$$ from politicians and real estate/development folks pic.twitter.com/ca1pSIzaLo
— South Richmond News (@srnrva) September 1, 2024
Tavares Floyd has a preternatural ability to gather campaign contributions. His $116,035 is easily the most of money raised by a non-mayoral candidate, even with $15k of that being a self-loan. pic.twitter.com/Cz6ri2uauZ
— South Richmond News (@srnrva) September 1, 2024
Floyd has a 1 big donor, Willie Wilson from Chicago https://t.co/c50YZpfLpY. Most of Floyd's money is from out-of-state, with strong support from his home state of Tennessee. pic.twitter.com/DAHXyucqXw
— South Richmond News (@srnrva) September 1, 2024
That's all folks. Any surprises for y'all?
— South Richmond News (@srnrva) September 1, 2024