By Steve Haner

One silver lining for John Reid in this ongoing political tragicomedy is that his name identification must be through the roof. But the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor will never get a second chance to make a first impression for most voters. 

On the other hand, the six Democrats who remain as active candidates for lieutenant governor remain relative unknowns, except (perhaps) former Richmond mayor and Terry McAuliffe apparatchik Levar Stoney. Their contest for the June 17 primary has remained deep below the radar screen of Virginia’s all-but-dead political media. Finally, some attention is being paid.

There are also two Democrats seeking to be the party’s nominee for attorney general on that ballot.

Election workers will have to be at their posts at 5 a.m. but it may be 7 or 8 a.m. before a few actual voters wander into mostly empty polls. Turnout will be anemic unless something gets interesting fast. Some, this author included, have been quick to discount Reid’s chances in November but the truth is that elections are choices. The Democratic choice for lieutenant governor is likely to be as far to the left on issues as Reid is to the right. 

Based on the current financial reports on the Virginia Public Access Project, three of the six had raised more than $1 million by the last report.  Five of the six Democrats had raised more money than Reid at that point, another sign of trouble for the GOP choice. Here are the three million-dollar candidates, presumably the ones to watch.

• State Senator Gazala Hashmi, who represents parts of Richmond and Chesterfield County in the General Assembly. It is hard to imagine a Democrat with a more liberal record and she’s often been outspoken about it. 
• State Senator Aaron Rouse, who represents part of Virginia Beach in the Senate. He is a former NFL player who went to the Green Bay Packers after playing at Virginia Tech.
• Former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, who had the largest campaign contribution total of the three in the last report. The connection to McAuliffe alone explains that, but the former Governor is at best of mixed value to Stoney’s chances. 

Two of the best-funded candidates have their political base in Richmond, Reid’s home and center of his former broadcast career, and one is from Hampton Roads. That should work in Rouse’s favor.  Number four on the money list, not that far behind, was Babur Lateef, former chair of the Prince William County School Board — the only candidate from Northern Virginia.  The same situation applies with the two seeking to be the party’s nominee for attorney general against incumbent Republican Jason Miyares, with neither from Northern Virginia. 

• Shannon Taylor is currently Henrico County commonwealth’s attorney. With a very blonde Democratic nominee for governor locked in, as unfair as it might be, Taylor’s extremely similar appearance in this age of identity politics could prove a silent liability.
• Jerrauld “Jay” Jones is a former Hampton Roads legislator who has previously sought to be attorney general. He tried to unseat Mark Herring as the Democratic nominee in 2021 and failed. 

The contest for attorney general has one dramatic element, as Taylor has accepted campaign contributions from Dominion Energy Virginia and Jones has made opposition to some of the utility’s goals a key issue. Jones is likely to also point to Miyares taking Dominion money if he is nominated. The attorney general has a big role in utility regulation. None of the Democrats seeking the lieutenant governor nomination show money from that utility.

So far one key Virginia powerbroker, Clean Virginia, has not made an endorsement in either of the races, while it has put out its list of House of Delegates endorsements (note that there are several Republicans) and has enthusiastically backed Abigail Spanberger. Hashmi’s largest individual donor, however, is Sonja Smith of Charlottesville, wife of Clean Virginia leader Michael Bills. Rouse’s donor list is peppered with money from gaming interests, and skill games operator Pace-O-Matic has supported both him and Stoney.  

The contest could remain quiet, with the battle going on only through social media and perhaps some mail, none of which will reach this household. But with early voting starting, something is bound to pop up to create the differentiation voters need to even see there is a choice. Right now, it is boring, something you cannot say about what is happening with the other party.