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West Virginia Senate Votes for Higher Campaign Donations
< < Back to west-virginia-senate-votes-for-higher-campaign-donationsCHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) – West Virginia’s Senate has voted to raise the campaign contribution limit from $1,000 to $2,700 to a candidate in a primary or general election and revise other provisions in state election law.
The bill approved 21-11 now goes to the House for consideration.
Sen. Corey Palumbo and some other legislators in the Senate’s Democratic minority say the changes will increase the influence of the rich on West Virginia politics, effectively raising the donation limit in a campaign cycle to $5,400.
Sen. Robert Karnes, an Upshur County Republican, says it should actually reduce the influence of so-called “dark money” from independent expenditure groups by letting West Virginians donate more money that’s publicly reported.
Karnes says it takes $75,000 to $300,000 to run a state legislative campaign.