Tides turning in race for campaign cash

Richmond-based companies and business associations gave more to Democrat Creigh Deeds than to Republican Bob McDonnell during the most recent round of fund-raising.

Deeds raised $152,500 between July 1 and August 31 from Richmond area businesses and groups. McDonnell raised $120,000 from area businesses and groups, falling behind Deeds for the first time since the campaign started.

But McDonnell still tops Deeds in the overall race for cash, $561,604 to $326,220.

In the past two months, Deeds has been playing catch up. The biggest donation was a $50,000 gift from the Richmond-based Virginia Beer Wholesalers Association. That was followed by a $25,000 donation from the Mid-Atlantic Carpenters Association. Dominion gave Deeds $10,000, as did the law firm of Hunton & Williams. The Virginia Independent Power Producers gave $7,500.

All information is according to the Virginia Public Access Project.

Three other law firms gave to Deeds: Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen gave $5,000, McGuire Woods gave $5,500 and Troutman Sanders gave $4,500.

In addition, Deeds received $5,000 donations from the Virginia Cable and Telecommunication Association, the Virginia Healthcare Association, and the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association.

Meanwhile, McDonnell’s biggest donation from a local company or business group was $60,000 from the Virginia Association of Realtors.

Much of his support came from law firms, many of which also gave to Deeds, but in different amounts. McGuire Woods gave McDonnell $18,000, Hunton and Williams gave $5,000, Reed Smith gave $5,000, Hirschler Fleischer gave $1,000 and Troutman Sanders gave $500.

McDonnell also received $5,000 from MeadWestvaco and $1,000 from Dominion.

Although McDonnell has fallen behind slightly in donations from Richmond companies, he has made up for it in personal donations from some of the area’s big names in business.

Bruce Gottwald, former chief executive of the Ethyl Corporation and chairman of the NewMarket Corporation, gave McDonnell $50,000. William A. Royall, chairman of Royall & Company, also gave $50,000. Thomas F. Farrell, president and CEO of Dominion, gave $15,000; Thomas Chewning, CFO of Dominion, gave $10,000; Floyd Gottwald Jr. gave $9,000; and E. Claiborne Robins Jr. gave $5,000.

Deeds managed to raise some large personal donations from a few attorneys in the area, as well as a $10,000 donation from Carole Weinstein.

McDonnell still leads in total fundraising, with $13.6 million since the beginning of the campaign. Deeds has raised $9.69 million.

Al Harris covers politics for BizSense. Please send news tips to Al@richmondbizsense.com.