Money in the Bank: Incumbents vs. Challengers

Aug. 31, 2019

A record 70 General Assembly incumbents face a major party challenger this November. Two months before the election, how many incumbents held a cash advantage?

Definitions
  • Challenger with Cash Advantage: Challenger had at least 2 times more cash on hand than incumbent on June 30.
  • Incumbent and Challenger Near Cash Parity: Incumbent and challenger had near equal cash on hand (ie. 1:1 ratio) on June 30.
  • Incumbent with Cash Advantage: Incumbent had between 2 and 7 times more cash on hand than challenger on June 30.
  • Incumbent with Substantial Cash Advantage: Incumbent had 8 or more times cash on than than challenger on June 30.

Notes: The major-party challengers to General Assembly incumbents is the most since 1997, when VPAP began tracking elections.

Source: Campaign Finance reports filed with the Virginia Department of Elections as of September 19, 2019

Sept. 19, 2019