Virginia's governor's race is getting a lot of national attention: it's one of only two governor's races this year.
That means it's bringing in a lot of political money, as well. This week the Democratic National Committee confirmed it will donate an additional one million dollars to the Deeds campain.
But numbers and fundraisers say the economy has them pinching every penny. In this cycle unlike others, fundraising and spending totals are not on the rise.
"It's always gone up, so yeah, this would be the worst," said political fundraiser Tom Benedetti.
He says he can't remember a more difficult time to be a political fundraiser and that he's working twice as hard this year to get dollars to campaigns. "What used to take two phone calls to get a yes now takes five phone calls or six phone calls," said Benedetti.
That's not to say that there isn't big money in this race. Combined, Creigh Deeds and Bob Mc Donnell have raised 22 million dollars in this campaign. They'll likely report millions more on October 15th, their next filing deadline. But even those numbers will be less that what they could be.
"I think the numbers do show that the fundraising has flattened out," said David Poole of the Virginia Public Access Project.
According to VPAP's data, this year's fundraising is not following the trend of past years. It shows that every four years the numbers go up by about 40 percent. But from 2005 to 2009 they've practically stayed the same.
"It was definitely on an upward trend for the last four cycles and now at least since the end of August the numbers this year are basically flat," said Poole.
Benedetti says when donors are worried about affording a mortgage, a college tuition, or a grocery bill...politics takes a spot on the back burner.
"That pot of discretionary expenses or dollars is just not there," said Benedetti.
That means it's bringing in a lot of political money, as well. This week the Democratic National Committee confirmed it will donate an additional one million dollars to the Deeds campain.
But numbers and fundraisers say the economy has them pinching every penny. In this cycle unlike others, fundraising and spending totals are not on the rise.
"It's always gone up, so yeah, this would be the worst," said political fundraiser Tom Benedetti.
He says he can't remember a more difficult time to be a political fundraiser and that he's working twice as hard this year to get dollars to campaigns. "What used to take two phone calls to get a yes now takes five phone calls or six phone calls," said Benedetti.
That's not to say that there isn't big money in this race. Combined, Creigh Deeds and Bob Mc Donnell have raised 22 million dollars in this campaign. They'll likely report millions more on October 15th, their next filing deadline. But even those numbers will be less that what they could be.
"I think the numbers do show that the fundraising has flattened out," said David Poole of the Virginia Public Access Project.
According to VPAP's data, this year's fundraising is not following the trend of past years. It shows that every four years the numbers go up by about 40 percent. But from 2005 to 2009 they've practically stayed the same.
"It was definitely on an upward trend for the last four cycles and now at least since the end of August the numbers this year are basically flat," said Poole.
Benedetti says when donors are worried about affording a mortgage, a college tuition, or a grocery bill...politics takes a spot on the back burner.
"That pot of discretionary expenses or dollars is just not there," said Benedetti.
