Old Dominion News

Out-of-state money reportedly heavily favors Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe, who on Election Day is running neck-and-neck with Republican businessman Glenn Youngkin in a Fox News survey.

Citing news reports, Hayden Ludwig, senior investigative researcher with Capital Research Center, notes the McAuliffe campaign “has raked in” $15.9 million in contributions from political action committees, labor unions, and activist nonprofits as of Sept. 30, the most recent filing.

Youngkin’s campaign has reported  $6.6 million in donations from a “handful of PACs and business associations.”

The bulk of McAuliffe’s money comes from the Democratic Governors Association, public sector unions and activist groups. Youngkin’s money comes from the Republican Governors Association, his personal loan to the campaign, business and free market groups, Ludwig reports.

“Activist groups supplied $2.9 million to the McAuliffe campaign,” Ludwig writes. “Affiliates of Planned Parenthood, the nation’s top abortion provider, gifted him over $700,000. Priorities USA which received $27 million from former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg last year, sent McAuliffe $605,000.”

“Other contributors include Black Lives Matter PAC, the judicial activist group People for the American Way, gun control groups Giffords PAC and Everytown for Gun Safety [also heavily funded by Bloomberg], and American Bridge 21st Century, an anti-Republican attack group,” Ludwig added.

A sampling of Youngkin contributors include the Virginia Maritime Association, the Conservative Leadership PAC and a free market group, the American Economic Freedom Alliance.

Ludwig cites his past research showing progressives' massive mail campaign targeting Virginia’s registered Democrats, including an effort by the Service Employees International Union.

“It’s uncertain whether mail-in ballots consistently boost Democratic turnout over Republican turnout, but many groups on the professional left clearly believe they do,” Ludwig writes.

“Many observers believe the outcome of the Virginia governor’s race as well as control of the state House of Delegates will offer a glimpse into the Democratic Party’s fortunes in the 2022 midterm elections,” he adds.