With over $22 million raised, Democrat Representative Abigail Spanberger holds a commanding fundraising lead over Republican Lt. Governor Winsome Earle-Sears. Earle-Sears has raised just over $9 million to date. The two candidates started the year neck-and-neck in fundraising with Spanberger surging in the past six months.

Public polling has showed Spanberger with a slight lead in support across the state, but neither candidate earning more than 50%. Governor Glenn Youngkin has enjoyed high approval ratings despite Virginian’s doubts about President Donald Trump. Polling also shows that Democrats are more engaged than Republicans but that a larger turnout would likely break for Earle-Sears. (RELATED: VA House Democrats Advance Sweeping Social Agenda)

Either candidate will be the first woman Governor of Virginia, but Winsome Earle-Sears would be the first black woman governor in the United States.

With the election little more than four months away the campaign is heating up with Winsome Earle-Sears calling out Spanberger for her opposition to worker’s rights and support for boys playing in girls’ sports while legislative Democrats using parliamentary tactics to force Earle-Sears into controversial votes.

Larry Sabato with the University of Virginia Center for Politics notes that the fundraising disparity may not reflect voter opinions or the results in November. (RELATED: Spanberger Campaign For Governor Bankrolled by Big Business and Megadonors)

“You can win in the money game and lose the election,” Sabato said. “And I have seen that dozens of times over the decades.”

The Earle-Sears campaign shrugged off concerns saying their entire campaign strategy is focused on consistency and long-term results.“Mistake quiet confidence for a slow start at your own risk,” said campaign spokeswoman Peyton Vogel.