Progressive advocacy groups from all over the country have engaged next months election for the Virginia General Assembly. Every seat in the House of Delegates and Senate are on the ballot all across Virginia. The Senate and House as it stands today are both narrowly held by Republicans. Progressive groups seek to change that next month.
Millions has flowed into Virginia. Planned Parenthood PAC and Justice and Public Safety funded by George Soros, Emily's List, CASA, Every District, Everytown for Gun Safety are just a few of the groups or political action committees pouring money into Virginia races. Not unlike the 11th District Senate race where the same groups are contributing to Progressive Socialist Amanda Pohl's camapign challenge against Republican incumbent State Senator Amanda Freeman Chase so to are they supporting the challenger in the 10th Senate District.
Incumbent Republican Glen Sturtevant is battling a heavily funded challenger who is being supported almost eighty percent by contributions from outside Virginia.
The 10th District is comprised of parts of the City of Richmond and Chesterfield County, Virginia. 46% of the voter reside in the County, 40% in the City and the remaining in Powhatan County. The District supported Hillary Clinton over Trump by 53-41%.
Powhatan County remain a Republican juggernaut for Democrats. Every single precinct in 2016 supported Trump. However, Powhatan represents only 14% of the District's voters. The City and Chesterfield will determine this race. Western Chesterfield remain strongly Republican and the precincts closest to the City in places like Bon Air like Cranbeck #509 and Greenfield #506 went Hillary and Crestwood #502 was only precinct that went Trump and only did so by two points.
The City of Richmond remains strongly Democrat. #106 One Hundred Six along the banks of the James River remains leaning Republican but the remaining areas prove to be much more Democrat than ever before. Sturtevant will need turnout in Chesterfield and Powhatan to offset the City of Richmond precincts but also do better in those than Trump.
Progressives know this. The Progressive funding has increased the ability for a ground game to be implemented on a level that has not been done before. Ghazala Hashmi the Progressive Challenger is heavily funded by groups from Washington D.C, California and New York.
In fact, only just over twenty percent of Hashmi contributions come from Virginia. Hashmi has raised 1,25 million thus far and only $45,000 has come from Chesterfield County but Albermarle County, Fairfax County and Alexandria City have all contributed more than Chesterfield. The bulk of Hashmi's Virginia contributions have come from City of Richmond but 130,895 have come from Washington D.C, $67,858 from California and $50,800 from New York according to The Virginia Public Access Project.
Glen Sturtevant has secured almost eight percent of his contributions from inside Virginia but contributions from Chesterfield County are concerning given the campaign has garnered more support from the City of Richmond where it will be tough to turn out voters. Hashmi has secured almost as much in Chesterfield as Sturtevant put by far outpaces him in the City of Richmond.
Hashmi has raised 397,000 in the City of Richmond. Almost 3 to 1 to Sturtevant but the bulk in recent filings is coming from outside the Commonwealth. Approaching 350,000.
The Progressive groups contributing are some of the most radical single issue advocacy groups in the country. Groups like Planned Parenthood PAC or CASA that promote and endorse sanctuary city polices or Everytown for Gun Safety advocating for stricter gun laws and appeal of "open carry" and increase in "gun free zones" are all engaging campaigns this cycle.
Just a few recently contributing to Hashmi's campaign:
Everytown for Gun Safety
Emilys List
Progress Now
Next Generation Climate
New Virginia Majority
CASA
The Progressive groups make no attempt to hide their agenda. They seek stricter gun laws, no restriction abortions and sanctuary policies where local governments are not compelled to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. They also seek to double down on failing public school policies and fight against charter schools or vouchers.
Ultimately, that is what these Progressive groups expect for their contributions and support of many Virginia campaigns. Hashmi has not shied away from her support of these policies and advocacy. The influence of the groups can already be seen in the ad buys by Canal Partners Media based in Atlanta, Ga and Washington D.C.
Hashmi has run away or attempted to do so from her stance on Governor Ralph Northam. She once advocated for hsi resignation over his racially charged "blackface" incident but later secured 25,000 from his committee for her campaign. Her flip flop did not go unnoticed.
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