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NORTHERN VIRGINIA MEDIA SERVICES
JULY 24, 2015
VOLUME 27, NUMBER 19
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VIEWPOINTS, PAGE 4 | FAMILY TECH, PAGE 13 | CLASSIFIEDS, PAGES 14, 15
INSIDENOVA.COM
Candidates rolling in donations Candidate Campaign Finances Election cycle total SENATE DISTRICT 36
HOUSE DISTRICT 28 Howell (R)
1,119,103
$
HOUSE DISTRICT 2
213,256
$
37,955
$
78,379*
$
$
95,849**
$
1,717
Surovell (D) Hilliard (D)
Foreman (R)
Dudenhefer (R)
King (D)
*Includes a $20,000 unpaid loan from the candidate. **Includes a $39,500 donation from the Howell campaign. JILL PALERMO
For the Stafford County Sun
In GOP-dominated Stafford County, where three of six state lawmakers (all Republicans) are unopposed in the upcoming Nov. 3 election, it’s not surprising that Republican incumbents continue to outraise their Democratic challengers. But the disparity in campaign war chests, detailed in the July 15 campaign finance reports, underscores the David-andGoliath scenarios facing Democrats Kandy Hilliard, who is attempting to unseat Del. Bill Howell, speaker of the House of Delegates, and Josh King, who is vying for the open District 2 delegate seat against Mark Dudenhefer, former chairman of the Stafford County Board of Supervisors. Both Hilliard, who is also a former Stafford supervisor, and King, a political newcomer and Fairfax County sheriff ’s
deputy, have been outraised many times over by their Republican opponents. Only Del. Scott Surovell, D-44th, who is running in the 36th state Senate District, which includes part of North Stafford, has outraised his Republican opponent, Dumfries Mayor Gerald Foreman. Surovell collected $52,669 in June and has more than $128,000 in the bank. Foreman collected only $12,664 in June and lists a balance-on-hand of $11,023, which includes the $20,000 he loaned his campaign earlier this year. The 36th District, open due to the upcoming retirement of Democratic Sen. Linda “Toddy” Puller, also includes wide swaths of Prince William and Fairfax counties and thus is considered friendlier to Democrats than most Stafford districts. Howell, R-28th, raised an astounding $550,000 in the two months leading up to his June 9 primary against Susan Stimpson and
continued to rake in big numbers in June. According to the Virginia Public Access Project, Howell’s campaign raised more than any other delegate in Virginia -$114,421—leaving him with $439,678 in the bank. Only Del. Chris Jones, R-76th, of Suffolk, has more cash on hand, about $450,000. Howell has shared his largess with Dudenhefer by donating nearly $36,000 to his campaign over the last several months, including $15,000 in June, according to reports filed with the State Department of Elections That put Dudenhefer’s total June haul at $23,595, replenishing his coffers after a primary challenge from fellow Republican Tim Ciampaglio. Democrats have no similar fundraising coattails. King raised less than $2,000 in June, his first month in the race. King stepped in after former Democratic
candidate Rod Hall dropped out of the running in early June. Del. Michael Futrell, who currently holds the seat, declined to seek re-election, instead pursuing, but ultimately losing, the three-way Democratic primary for the 29th District state Senate seat. Hilliard raised a healthy $14,970 in June but remains far behind Howell with only $16,636 in the bank. But in an interview Wednesday, Hilliard said she isn’t surprised or discouraged by the deficit, considering that Howell, arguably the most powerful politicians in the commonwealth, scored several $5,000 and $10,000 donations from political action committees representing everything from car-title lenders to home-building, roadbuilding and health-insurance interests. Among the more notable entries on Howell’s contribution list are $5,000 from Transurban, the Australian company that built and operates the new Interstate 95 high-occupancy toll lanes; $5,000 from the Transportation Construction Alliance and more than $50,000 from the Virginia Beer Wholesalers PAC. Howell’s campaign did not return phone calls seeking comment for this story. Hilliard’s finance report lists a few $500 donations from her most generous contributors, including a realtor and a publicschool teacher. But she says she’ll make up for lack of money by reaching out to voters door-to-door with her message about the need for “positive, forward-thinking leadership” for Stafford. Hilliard works as the assistant director for Childcare Network, a Spotsylvania nonprofit that helps parents find childcare as well as information about providers. She said Stafford residents are most concerned about the county schools, which she says have become more crowded and less successful under Howell’s leadership, as well as worsening traffic. CAMPAIGN PAGE 14
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