How much is a $17,640 per year job worth?

How much is it worth to be elected to a job that pays $17,640 a year?   

Apparently a lot. 

In Tuesday’s election several candidates paid more than $1 million to try to get elected to the Virginia House of Delegates.  Many of them did not.

According to VPAP, fifteen candidates spent over $1 million trying to get a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates.  Nine of those in the million dollar club lost.

Here are some of the highlights:

In District 85, Democrat Alex Askew spent $1,786,980 trying to keep his seat.  His Republican opponent Karen Greenhalgh spent $713, 911.  For nowGreenhalgh is considered the winner but there could be a recount.

In District 83 in Virginia Beach, incumbent Democrat Nancy Guy spent $2,066,614 trying to keep her seat.  She was defeated by Republican Tim Anderson, who spent only $543,422.

In District 73, it cost Democratic incumbent Rodney Willett $1,535,899 to keep his seat, by fewer than 3 percentage points. His Republican opponent Mary Margaret Kastelberg spent $711,978.

In District 63, Democrat incumbent Lashrecse Aird spent $1,223,059 to lose to Republican Kim Taylor, who spent only $209,901.

In District 51, Democrat Briana Sewell spent $1,154,953 to hold on to her seat. She did, winning 53% of the vote. Her opponent spent $26,323.

In District 46, Charniele Herring missed the $1 million club by $70,000, spending $930,944.  But Herring was unopposed. There were only 1200 votes cast for various write in candidates.

In District 41,  soon to be former House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn successfully defended her seat to the tune of $1,536,059.  Her opponent John R. Wolfe reports he spent $463.

In District 28, Democratic incumbent Joshua Cole spent a whopping $1,641,080 losing to Republican challenger Tara Durant, who spent half of that.

In District 27, incumbent Democrat Debra Gardner spent $1,149,938 but lost to Republican Roxann Robinson who spent only $704,633.

In District 12,  incumbent Democrat Chris Hurst spent $1,443,697 only to lose to Republican Jason Ballard who spent $720,039. To ad insult to injury, Hurst was pulled over Monday night for tampering with his opponent’s political sign.

In District 10,  Democrat Wendy Gooditis spent $2,516,752 and defeated Republican Nick Clemente, by less than two percentage points. Clemente only spent $1,417,021.

District 100 was relatively low key.  Delegate Rob Bloxom successfully defended his seat at a cost of $142,400 or $9 per vote.  His opponent Delegate Finale Norton spent $446,745 or $38 per vote in her losing effort.

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