Virginia Doesn’t Prohibit Personal Use Of Campaign Funds

This is the first installment of a series on the state of campaign finance law in Virginia. This week, we’re taking a look at the personal use of campaign funds -- something that’s entirely legal for state candidates and officeholders in Virginia, but illegal at the federal level and in most states. Stay tuned for more information on how Virginia can improve campaign finance law to build a more accountable state government. 


The Federal Election Commission makes it clear: “using campaign funds for personal use is prohibited.” This means it’s illegal for a candidate for federal office to use campaign funds for expenses that wouldn’t exist if the candidate wasn’t running a campaign or holding office. 


The reasons for the ban on the personal use of campaign funds are likely self-explanatory. Campaigns can rake in millions of dollars, and we don’t want those who are supposed to be public servants to fundraise for the purpose of making a personal fortune. Prohibiting candidates for federal office from using campaign funds to, among other things, pay dues to country clubs, purchase clothing, or even make investments provides one method of ensuring that candidates and office holders are working for the people they represent, not to get rich. 


In Virginia, however, candidates for state office and those holding state office face no legal limits in how they spend campaign funds. A 2016 Associated Press report headlined “No rules means no accountability for Virginia campaign funds” revealed astonishing details about what Virginia’s lax campaign finance laws enable. Members of the General Assembly spent exorbitantly on meals at upscale Richmond restaurants and afforded stays at five star hotels using campaign funds. 


In at least 47 other states and at the federal level, using campaign funds for expenses like these would purchase an individual little more than a prison sentence. Most states tend to govern the personal use of campaign funds similarly to the FEC, which prohibits campaign funds from being used for any expense that wouldn’t exist unless the individual doing the spending is running for office or currently holding office. Using campaign funds for personal use in Michigan can come with 90 days in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both; Kansas imposes a $5,000 fine on anyone who violates similar rules. 


Though Virginia has no laws prohibiting the personal use of campaign funds, there have been consistent efforts to rein in this controversial form of spending. Former Governor Terry McAuliffe threw his support behind prohibiting personal use of campaign funds during his 2016 State of the Commonwealth address, and Governor Ralph Northam has expressed similar support. 


During the most recent General Assembly session, a bill that would have prohibited the personal use of campaign funds passed the House of Delegates before meeting its demise in the Senate Privileges and Elections committee. The bill contained a thoughtful provision that made an exception for child care-related expenses. It wasn’t the first time a bill of this nature has been introduced to the General Assembly. Legislators from both parties have proposed legislation to put an end to the personal use of campaign funds during every session in recent memory, but no effort has been successful. 



Similar legislation is likely to be considered during future sessions. In the interest of providing a mechanism for accountability and establishing trust among constituents, the General Assembly should take action to prevent candidates and office holders from using campaign funds for personal expenses.


[Virginia Public Media] Data: Virginia’s Early Childhood Education Providers Are Succeeding

By VOW Ops • January 21, 2026
The second year of results from Virginia’s recently established Quality Establishment and Improvement System (VQB5) for early childhood education found that 99% of childcare providers receiving state funding meet or exceed quality expectations. As of early December 2025, over 154,000 views have been recorded on the system’s website since its October 2024 debut, revealing the many parents and families who appreciate the information that VQB5 offers them. None of these wonderful results would even be available to admire without the support and success we had in passing HB 1012 and SB 578 back in 2020! The data focuses on classroom interactions between children and caregivers and notes how said interactions encourage kids to express themselves at a young age. The state has also enacted categories of excellence for providers who score in the top 10%, exceed quality expectations, or even show significant improvement from an evaluation the year before. On top of that, a new data system called VAConnects helps integrate information on students over the years to track their learning progress. The Department of Education wishes to sustain the program and has requested $735,000 to do so. Overall, Virginia is serving as a model for other states to use in establishing best practices for their early childhood programs. Read more here .

[Richmond Times Dispatch] Virginians want General Assembly Action on Housing, Survey Finds

By VOW Ops • January 21, 2026
An August survey reveals that large majorities of Virginians want state lawmakers to address the rising cost of housing. The survey was conducted by Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia and Freedom Virginia. More than 8 in 10 Virginians said the General Assembly needs to act. More than 3 in 4 Virginians want lawmakers to prevent landlords from raising rents each year by more than 7%. Many Virginians also supported the idea of the state incentivizing localities to build more housing and providing developers with an ability to appeal rejected housing projects. Many proposals that were made to address all these public concerns were struck down during the 2025 legislative session. One of the main reasons why all the mentioned proposals failed to pass the General Assembly is because of the large influence the local government lobbies have in Richmond in protecting what little authority they are granted by the state. However, 6 in 10 Virginians indicated that they are more concerned with providing more housing than protecting local government authority. Read more here.

[Richmond Times Dispatch] Spanberger Details Affordability Measures in Health Care, Energy, Housing

By VOW Ops • December 19, 2025
Governor-elect Spanberger has released details on how her administration will work with the General Assembly to address affordability issues for Virginians regarding health care, energy, and housing. Democrats in the General Assembly argue the proposals are needed to mitigate the effects of President Trump’s tariff policies and reduction of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies. Some of the solutions being proposed are legislation from the previous session that were vetoed by Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin. In health care, Spanberger and Virginia Democrats will tackle pharmacy benefit managers’ ability to compel patients toward using affiliated-only pharmacies. The incoming administration also wants to limit the number of times insurance companies can request approvals from patients receiving certain cancer cares and medicines for chronic conditions. Democrats are also reviving legislation that would prohibit insurance companies from charging tobacco smokers higher premiums. Further, Spanberger supports implementing a pilot program to help Virginians who will face unaffordable insurance premiums resulting from the expiration of the ACA enhanced tax credits. In energy, Spanberger called to make it easier for Virginians to utilize small-scale solar panels which don’t require hard labor to install. She also wants the previously vetoed legislation that would set energy storage standards for utility companies brought back to her desk (Governor Youngkin vetoed it because of his belief that the Virginia Clean Economy Act associated with it was ineffective). In housing, Spanberger and Democrats are reviving legislation from 2025 that would extend the grace period tenants have before being evicted for missing rent payments. They are also proposing changes that would give local governments priority in acquiring affordable multi-family units supported by tax credits when the owner wants to sell or convert them. Further, Democrats are reintroducing a bill which would allow all localities to change their zoning ordinances to create dense and affordable housing (currently, only the counties of Albemarle and Loudoun and the cities of Alexandria, Charlottesville, and Fairfax are granted such provisions). Read more here.
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