NORFOLK, Va. — The U.S. House candidates competing in Virginia's 2nd Congressional District released their fundraising numbers for the third quarter, a month before Election Day in a race considered to be a political tossup.
Democratic incumbent Elaine Luria, who is seeking a third term, pulled in over $2.85 million in July, August and September. Her Republican challenger, State Sen. Jen Kiggans, raised over $1 million at the same time.
Luria's fundraising haul in the third quarter exceeds the $2.5 million that Kiggans has raised since entering the race in April 2021, according to numbers provided by their campaigns.
Luria's campaign said it had 18,846 individual donors during the third quarter and has $2.9 million cash on hand. 13News Now reached out to Kiggans' spokesperson for the same information and had not received a reply at the time this article was published.
The House election in Virginia's 2nd District, which covers large parts of Hampton Roads, is one of 2022's most important races nationwide since its outcome could determine which party controls it.
The district is considered the median of all 435 House seats, the 218th in a spectrum of pro-Trump and pro-Biden districts in the 2020 elections.
To raise the stakes, political forecasters, such as the Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball, consider the race to be a tossup, meaning Luria and Kiggans both have a good chance of winning.
On the campaign trail, Luria has focused on abortion, veterans issues and her work on the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Kiggans has focused on inflation, economic issues and President Joe Biden's low approval ratings.
Kiggans, in response to her third-quarter fundraising results, thanked her supporters for donating to her campaign, saying in a news release she was "overwhelmed" by the support.
"We have the momentum — Virginians are fed up with the failed leadership we are getting in Washington and are ready to retire Elaine Luria on November 8th," Kiggans wrote. "Now it’s time for us to finish strong and retake control of our country.”
Luria also touted her momentum heading into November, saying her campaign has "proudly" been funded by grassroots supporters and Virginians.
"Our supporters know what’s at stake this November and they continue to give us the momentum heading into Election Day,” Luria wrote in a news release. “I am proud of my bipartisan record of delivering for Hampton Roads in Congress, and I look forward to continuing my work to grow our Navy, lower costs for working families, and protect the right to choose.”
Election Day is Nov. 8, but early voting is open until Nov. 5. Read 13News Now's breakdown on important election dates for more information.
