McAuliffe's Prowess As Fundraiser Grabs Spotlight in Va. Race

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Terry McAuliffe, Fundraising Juggernaut

Terry McAuliffe's background as one of the most prolific fundraisers the Democratic Party has ever seen could prove to be a liability in his run to be governor of Virginia.

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Under Virginia law, state legislators cannot solicit donations during the 45-day legislative session that starts Jan. 14. McAuliffe is not bound by the law, and Moran gave up the House seat he had held since 1996 to try to keep pace.

But Moran and Deeds, who plans to remain in the Senate, face enormous hurdles in trying to keep up with McAuliffe's fundraising.

A friend of the Clintons, McAuliffe raised more than $200 million for Bill Clinton in the 1990s. As chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2001 to 2005, he oversaw $500 million in party fundraising. McAuliffe chaired Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, which raised about $220 million.

Hassan Namazee, a New York investment banker who was a top fundraiser for Hillary Clinton, said McAuliffe has a gift for persuading people to invest in causes that matter. He has "the most fundamental skill that you have to have when you ask people for money. . . . He makes you feel good when he asks you to write a check."

Advisers to Moran and Deeds said they had been expecting that it would cost about $3 million to win the June 9 primary, but McAuliffe could spend triple that amount, launching a wave of television advertisements early in the spring that could drown out his opponents' messages.

Political strategists said it's not clear whether money will make the difference. In the 2006 primary contest between Sen. James Webb (D-Va.) and lawyer Harris Miller, Webb was outspent 4 to 1. But he won the race because antiwar activists and liberal bloggers were drawn to his military background and opposition to the war in Iraq.

"I think the money is important, but you have to have a message," said Democratic strategist Kristen Denny Todd, who was Webb's communications director. "I strongly feel that Virginians expect it to come from the heart and come from the soul, and I don't know if it can be manufactured or if Virginians can be bought."

Deeds and Moran are trying to play down the role that money could have on the race.

"I can't keep up with him, but I don't think I have to. I just have to get my message out," Deeds said.

Moran said the campaign "won't be about who can raise the most money. It will be about who has a proven record for Virginia families."

During a recent candidates forum, Moran snapped at McAuliffe, "Virginia is not for sale."

Mo Elleithee, a strategist for McAuliffe, said the campaign is sensitive to assertions that he is trying to buy the election with national money. Elleithee said McAuliffe still has to prove he can gain support from Democratic donors in Virginia.