Candidates War Chests in the Final Week of the 2011 Campaign

Democrats running for House and Senate seats that include McLean raised more campaign money in October than their Republican opponents, according to October fundraising reports published by the Virginia Public Access Project, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

But going into the last week of the campaign Republicans in the two most watched races had more cash on hand than their Democratic opponents, according to the reports filed by the candidates for the month of October.

Both the Democratic and Republican parties have contributed to the hottest races involving McLean voters: the 31st State Senate race between Democrat Barbara Favola and Republican Caren Merrick and the 34th House race between Republican incumbent Barbara Comstock and Democrat Pamela Danner, according to the October reports.

Merrick had the largest warchest on hand with $108,000, more than half of which came from a loan from a K Street media strategy firm, according to her report.

In the hotly contested Dranesville School Board race both incumbent Jane Strauss and challenger Louise Epstein lent their campaigns money for the final Election Day push, according to their reports which are filed with the Virginia State Board of elections

Highlights:

31st Senate District

Democrat Barbara Favola received a $25,000 from a Michael Bloomberg of New York City. She also received about $15,000 from other Democratic candidates and the party.

Republican Caren Merrick submitted a report that included a $62,000 loan from a K Street media strategy firm. When asked about this loan, Merrick campaign manager Patricia Thiergartner said the loan was really a loan from Merrick to her campaign. Thiergartner said the campaign made a mistake on the report and had filed an amended report. This is the second loan from Merrick to her campaign. The first was $50,000.

Merrick recently started airing TV commercials. 

Favola has no loans in October.

32nd Senate District

Incumbent Democrat Janet Howell: Raised $135,000 in October, nearly double that of her Republican challenger Patrick Forrest.

Republican Patrick Forrest: Received $5,000 from the Keith Famian PAC, Growth Opportunity and Prosperity Fund PAC.

Famian who ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Congress in 2010 against Democratic incumbent Gerald Connolly, D-Eight District, has given money to other Republican candidates from his PAC.

34th House District

Incumbent Republican Barbara Comstock: Started October with nearly $400,00 to spend. She spent more than  $260,000 with On Message Inc a political strategy firm in Alexandria.

 The Republican Party through the party and PAC's have contributed nearly $300,000 to Comstock. The party and Republican-related PAC's are the top five contributors to Comstock during this election year. House Speaker Bill Howell has contributed nearly $200,000 to his colleagues campaign.

In September, Comstock led the state in campaign contributions.

Pamela Danner: Has received nearly $150,000 from the Democratic Party.

The 34th is a swing district and both parties know this will be a close race.

Dranesville School Board

Lousie Epstein: Has lent her campaign another $15,000 in October.

Incumbent Jane Strauss lent her campaign another $10,000 in October.

Dranesvile Supervisor

Democratic incumbent John Foust continues to lead his Republican challenger Dennis Husch. Foust raised $62,000 and Husch, $3,770 in October.

Foust collected one of the largest funding raising amounts in October among county candidates in Virginia.

Democrat Sharon Bulova, who is running for reelection as chair of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors collected the second largest amount among county candidates statewide.

Source: Virginia Public Assess Project and Virginia State Board of Elections