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Mark Warner Blasts Outside Money in Virginia Race, Attends Two Fundraisers the Next Day

Groups backing Warner have spent $1.8 Million attacking Republican Ed Gillespie

US Senator Mark Warner, (D., Va.) / AP
October 10, 2014

Sen. Mark Warner (D., Va.) decried the influence of outside money in Virginia’s Senate race this week just a day before attending two fundraisers to solicit outside donations.

Warner said at his debate with Republican candidate Ed Gillespie on Tuesday that "we ought to get rid of all Super PACs and all outside money."

"I think we ought to—there’s a Super PAC that supports my opponent, a Super PAC that supports me—I think we ought to get rid of all Super PACs and all outside money," he said. "As a matter fact I would be willing tonight, Ed, to say for the last 28 days let's just have this race between you and me and no outside influences."

However, there were two fundraisers planned for Warner the very next day. One was a roundtable lunch to collect donations from individuals and PACs, while the second was a dinner reception at the offices of the Washington, D.C.-based law firm DLA Piper—a "heavy-hitter" in this fall’s election whose PAC has contributed nearly $370,000 to federal candidates, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Warner previously pledged in 1996 that he would not accept contributions from political action committees, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported last month.

Outside groups allied with Warner have spent about $1.8 million attacking Gillespie, according to the Sunlight Foundation, while Republican groups have only spent about $210,000 on ads against Warner.