Citizens United affiliate announces more cash for candidates

An affiliate for the conservative group Citizens United announced Thursday it's putting an additional $18,000 into Virginia this year to send a "clear message" to the White House a year before President Obama attempts to win the crucial swing state in his bid for re-election.

The Presidential Coalition, a tax-exempt political action committee, to date has made direct contributions totaling $96,250 in Virginia during the 2011 election cycle.

"If Republicans capture the Virginia Senate, it will send a clear message to the White House," said David N. Bossie, Citizens United president. "Virginia is key to a President Obama victory in 2012, and by winning these state races in 2011, the Obama campaign will have an even steeper mountain to climb going forward."

Republicans hold a sizable majority in the House of Delegates, but the Democrats' 22-18 majority in the state Senate is all that's keeping the GOP, which also controls the offices of the governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general, from gaining unfettered control in Richmond.

The group announced it will contribute $2,500 each to GOP state Senate candidates Dick Black, Miller Baker, Mickey Chohany and Bryce Reeves, and $1,000 to incumbent state Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel, Winchester Republican.

It will also shell out $1,000 apiece to incumbent Delegates James M. LeMunyon, Fairfax Republican, and Ronald A. Villanueva, Virginia Beach Republican, and $5,000 to the Dominion Leadership Trust, the political action committee for House Speaker William J. Howell, Stafford Republican.

"There will definitely be more, probably a couple weeks before the election," said Jeff Marschner, a spokesman for the group.