For the second time in one year, Delegate Mike Mullin [D-93rd] leads his opponent Republican Heather Cordasco in the money race as he seeks re-election to the House of Delegates.
Four months before the election, Mullin has raised nearly two-thirds of what he fundraised in the last election. Cordasco has raised nearly half as much as she fundraised in the last election, according to the nonprofit campaign finance database Virginia Public Access Project. Mullin out-fundraised Cordasco by more than $80,000 last year.
The last election both candidates participated in, the 2016 General Election, featured nearly $377,000 in expenditures from both candidates, but this November’s election may see even more money flow into the district.
Funding plays a vital role in competitive races, as it allows a candidate to afford to promote their messaging, whether through advertisements or canvassers. Campaigns need to engage a voter seven times through advertisements, face to face interactions, and public forums before a candidate can count on their vote, according to data from the Mullin campaign.
Mullin, a criminal prosecutor, is an up-and-coming Democrat from Newport News while Cordasco, a philanthropy officer at a nonprofit, has a strong local base of support in the James City County Republican Committee. Both candidates offer differing visions for the Greater Williamsburg area.
“Heather is proud of her grassroots support from across the district and we know we will have the resources to win in November,” Cordasco’s campaign manager Chris Scotten said in an email.
While Cordasco may be winning the hearts and minds of her supporters, she’s not winning their dollars quite yet. Mullin had received almost three times more cash contributions, a total of 611 to Cordasco’s 229, by Thursday.
Last month, Cordasco raised $22,120 from 59 contributors — nearly half what Mullin raised in the same period. Mullin raised $44,158 from 260 contributors.
Mullin was elected to the seat vacated by now-state Senator Monty Mason after Mason ran for and won a seat in the upper house. Mullin won that race by more than seven percent or nearly 3,000 votes.
To be sure, money isn’t everything in politics and Cordasco’s campaign manager Chris Scotten says the money race isn’t what matters most to her campaign.
“We know that Heather’s inspiring story, hard work, grassroots support, and commitment to important issues like education will beat out the best campaign money can buy,” Scotten wrote in an email.
Those who are donating to Cordasco are giving more. The average amount of a contribution to Cordasco’s campaign was larger at $288 compared to Mullin’s $216. But Mullin’s campaign has had nearly four times as many contributions.
Mullin’s campaign manager Tim Wagner said the campaign has its own grassroots support to thank for the contributions, “specifically working class and middle class people who work everyday in the area,” he said.
He added he believes Mullin’s experience in the seat will prove helpful in the upcoming election.
“Mike’s getting things done for this part of Hampton Roads,” Wagner said.
