FREDERICKSBURG, VA — Less than a week before the Nov. 5 general election, Democrat Eugene S. Vindman is leading his opponent in the 7th District congressional race in both fundraising and spending on political advertising, according to the latest campaign finance reports.
As of Oct. 16, Vindman has raised $15,686,039 in campaign contributions, which is more than seven times the $2,851,581 that Republican Derrick M. Anderson has raised, according to Federal Election Commission data reported by the nonprofit Virginia Public Access Project.
With a bigger political war chest, Vindman’s campaign has been able to spend significantly more on political advertising, according to the Federal Communications Commission data reported by VPAP.
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Pro-Vindman or Anti-Anderson – $9,666,658
Pro-Anderson or Anti-Vindman – $5,149,574
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In addition to money spent by their campaigns, both candidates have benefited from a total of $9,400,012 in advertising purchased by advocacy groups for and against a particular candidate in the 7th District race. The money is used to buy advertising on radio, TV, online, and print without any coordination with either of the campaigns.
The majority of the advocacy group advertising purchased in this race has been spent in support of Anderson’s campaign rather than Vindman’s, a total of $5,569,383 compared to $3,830,628, according to FCC data.
Two political action committees associated with the Republican and Democratic factions in the U.S. House of Representatives paid for advertising across the four categories:
Even when the campaign and advocacy advertising costs are added up, Anderson’s campaign still trails his opponent’s campaign by about $3 million:
Total Money Spent On Political Advertising: $24,216,243
Vindman and Anderson are competing to fill the congressional seat vacated by incumbent U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D), who retired so she can run for the governor of Virginia in 2025.
Vindman first came to prominence in 2019, after his twin brother, Alexander, who was working as an ethics officer at the White House, told him about a phone conversation he’d overheard between then-President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. During the call, Trump pressured Zelenskyy to investigate the former president’s political opponent, Joe Biden, and his son Hunter, according to the Associated Press.
The two brothers relayed their concerns to others, leading to Trump’s first impeachment. Two days after the former president was cleared by the U.S. Senate, he fired both brothers. Eventually, the Defense Department’s inspector general determined that Eugene Vindman’s dismissal was likely a retaliation and he was reassigned. Two years later, he retired after 26 years in the U.S. Army.
Anderson, a former U.S. Army Ranger, served as a platoon leader with the 3rd Infantry Regiment “The Old Guard” in Arlington National Cemetery, according to his campaign bio. After completing the Special Forces Qualifications Course, he became an A-Team leader in the Green Berets. He went on to serve in five deployments to Afghanistan, Bahrain, Jordan, Israel, and Lebanon, first as a detachment commander for two Special Forces teams and the company executive officer for two companies.
After leaving the Army, Anderson earned a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center and then clerked for two federal judges, working on a variety of civil and criminal cases. Anderson also served in the White House during the Trump Administration, working in the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
The 7th district includes the City of Fredericksburg, as well as portions of Prince William, Stafford, King George, Caroline, Culpeper, Orange, Madison, Green, and Albemarle counties. The 7th congressional district leans Democrat, according to the 2024 Cook Political Report’s House Race Ratings.
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