Deeds Outraised McDonnell 2 to 1 in June in Va. Race for Governor

Democrat R. Creigh Deeds outraised Republican Robert F. McDonnell in the Virginia gubernatorial race by nearly 2 to 1 last month, providing early evidence of a high-dollar general election campaign that will bear little resemblance to Deeds's cash-strapped insurgency in the primary.

McDonnell's campaign account, with nearly $5 million, remains larger than that of his opponent in part because the former state attorney general watched from the sidelines this spring -- and traveled the country raising money -- as Deeds fought two other Democrats for his party's nomination. The Deeds campaign said a surge in donations was to be expected after a divisive primary as party loyalists came together behind their nominee.

The campaign is changing its image as frugal underdog and preparing to emerge bigger and better funded for an election that will be in the national political spotlight. With just one other governor's race this year, in New Jersey, Virginia's election will attract attention and money from both national parties. It will be viewed as a measure of President Obama's popularity, of the parties' positions going into next year's midterm elections and of the prospects in Virginia for what will probably be a competitive Republican presidential primary in 2012.

"It's an important race," said Mame Reiley, who was Democrat Brian Moran's campaign chairwoman in the primary. "It's an indicator of things to come on the federal level."

Reports on campaign finance activity from May 27 to June 30 for all statewide and legislative candidates on the November ballot are due to state elections officials today. Deeds, a state senator from Bath County, and McDonnell released summaries early to highlight what each says are the strengths of his fundraising operations.

For Deeds, the volume of cash collected -- nearly $3.4 million -- stands out particularly because the Democrat was in the throes of the primary campaign for the first 13 days of the reporting period. McDonnell raised $1.8 million in the same period.

McDonnell had nearly $5 million on hand by the end of the reporting period, compared with $2.7 million for Deeds. But McDonnell was spending during the period at a faster clip than Deeds, even though Deeds has doubled his staff from 20 to 40 and begun building a general election campaign. McDonnell's cash on hand did not grow measurably (from $4.89 million to $4.92 million), but Deeds's rose from $522,000 to $2.7 million.

As if to play down the likely influence of the national parties, both campaigns highlighted how many of their donors are Virginians. McDonnell said 75 percent of his donors during the most recent period are from the state. Deeds said 63 percent of contributions this year are from Virginia sources. Both noted how many small-dollar donors are fueling their bids.

"This race is about Virginia," Deeds spokesman Jared Leopold said. "It's about how we get to work and how our kids are doing in school."

But all agree that the share of money pouring into the race from out-of-state organizations will grow. In the June reporting period alone, both candidates dramatically outperformed the hopefuls of 2001, when Democrat Mark Warner raised $1.14 million and Republican Mark Earley collected $1.67 million, and of 2005, when Democrat Timothy M. Kaine raised $1.04 million and Republican Jerry W. Kilgore gathered $2.1 million.