THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, October 24, 1995 TAG: 9510240297
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SERIES: Election '95
SOURCE: BY LISE OLSEN AND DAVID POOLE, STAFF WRITERS
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
Virginia General Assembly candidates are raising and spending more money than ever in this year's statewide elections.
Candidates across Virginia have collected more than $14 million - 37 percent more than was spent in 1991 campaigns, the last time all Assembly seats were up for grabs.
When compared with the 1991 elections, nearly twice as many candidates this year have raised more than $100,000, which means more full-color mass mailings and TV ads in markets like Hampton Roads.
The totals are based on an analysis by The Virginian-Pilot of statewide campaign disclosure reports filed by Oct. 15, which includes contributions through Sept. 30. Though far from a full picture, the reports provide a last glimpse of statewide campaign spending before Election Day.
The totals will continue to balloon. Many candidates intentionally hold off collecting and reporting contributions until the last minute. And itemized contributions do not include so-called soft money - party funds used to pay for polling, research and other activities that help campaigns. That money has tipped the scales in several statewide races.
So far, Hampton Roads candidates have dominated the list of top fund-raisers: Six of 10 of the biggest cash accounts were held by incumbents on the Peninsula and in South Hampton Roads. All six are Democrats trying to hang on to their seats. At least two - Clarence A. ``Clancy'' Holland, an incumbent senator from Virginia Beach, and George H. Heilig Jr., an incumbent delegate from Norfolk - face serious opposition.
Holland's opponent, Edward L. Schrock, also of Virginia Beach, continued to raise more than other challengers. The Holland-Schrock race will likely be the most expensive campaign locally. The two candidates had reported a total of $319,609 in contributions - 64 percent raised by Holland and 36 percent by Schrock.
On the Peninsula, Sen. Hunter Andrews, the powerful Senate majority leader, was in the state's most expensive race so far. He and his Republican opponent, M.E. ``Marty'' Williams, had raised a total of $469,415 by the Oct. 15 report - 83 percent of it collected by Andrews.
For the first time, Virginia Republicans are coming close to spending as much as Democratic candidates in Assembly races. But Democrats still had a sizable edge as of the end of September. All Democratic candidates had raised $7.5 million compared with $6.5 million by Republicans.
But some Republican challengers had outspent incumbents - even some senior senators.
Two of the best-funded Republican challengers are William T. Bolling in Hanover County and Stanford E. Parris in Northern Virginia. Bolling is outgunning incumbent Sen. Elmo Cross, a 19-year veteran. Parris is outspending incumbent Sen. Joseph V. Gartlan Jr, a member of the Senate for 23 years.
Republican and Democratic PACs have helped boost candidates' totals. And the Republican PACs just received $150,000 from the U.S. Republican Party and $25,000 from International Family Entertainment, a company led by Virginia Beach's Pat Robertson and his son, Tim, but not affiliated with Pat Robertson's ministries.
Party money may tip the scales in some races: Republicans bought more than $50,000 in TV ads in a Southwest Virginia race to support challenger Pat Cupp's bid to defeat incumbent Sen. Madison E. Marye. The expense was not included in September reports that showed Marye raising more than Cupp. MEMO: Detailed campaign finance reports, filed by Sept. 15, are available on
Pilot Online's Virginia Voter Net at: http://www.infi.net/pilot/voter/
ILLUSTRATION: SPENDING AND FUND RAISING IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY RACES
Chart
[For a copy opf the chart, see page B3 of The Virginian-Pilot
microfilm for this date.]
SOURCE: The Virginian-Pilot analysis of campaign contribution
reports filed Oct. 15
KEYWORDS: CAMPAIGN FINANCE by CNB