The campaign money trail: So far, it’s advantage McCrory in the governor’s race

As of June 30, Republican candidate Pat McCrory has raised about $6.5 million to Democrat Walter Dalton‘s $2.5 million.

Earlier today, I took a look at a nifty campaign-finance map provided by the Raleigh News & Observer. The map is color-coded to indicate which candidate has raised the most money in each of North Carolina’s 100 counties. Click on an individual county, and you’ll get data on how much McCrory has received in contributions and how much Dalton has raised.

The map is a sea of red (Republican McCrory), with just a few islands of strength for Democrat Dalton (blue).

Buncombe County, and much of the central part of Western North Carolina, is blue. In Buncombe, according to the News&Observer data, Dalton has raised $83,700. McCrory has raised $58,904.

In May, the political buzz was that lots of outside money would pour into North Carolina, where Republicans seem to have their best chance of gaining a gubernatorial seat (not to mention, full control of all three branches of government, including the judicial). “Both national parties, conservative super PACs, anti-tax groups and labor unions are likely to pour money into North Carolina, the largest state holding a governor’s race in 2012. Some campaign strategists estimate at least $20 million will be spent between now and November trying to determine who will be the next occupant of the executive mansion. More than $15 million was spent in the governor’s race in the general election four years ago,” the like1.1 K viewsCommunity News

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Margaret Williams
Editor Margaret Williams first wrote for Xpress in 1994. An Alabama native, she has lived in Western North Carolina since 1987 and completed her Masters of Liberal Arts & Sciences from UNC-Asheville in 2016. Follow me @mvwilliams

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.