four years ago frances broaddus-crutchfield 74 give 500 campaign virginia democratic attorney general mark herring election cycle lifelong democrat live farm powhatan county virginia up ante donate 6,500 far herring re-election bid desperate time say like many democratic state attorneys general herring make legal challenge agenda president donald trump priority join attorneys general state challenge trump executive order ban travel unite state six predominately muslim countries defend former president barack obama clean power plan aim slash carbon emissions fight prospect others draw record amount campaign contributions attorney general race number state accord campaign finance record dozen interview attorneys general challengers political operatives donors attorneys general top elect legal officer state charge defend state agencies lawsuits well initiate litigation always help shape national politics influence grow obama administration republican attorneys general regularly sue administration immigration environment republicans control white house congress democrats use playbook challenge trump initiatives court donors party take notice pour money upcoming attorneys general campaign recent campaign file herring report raise 2.8 million end june three time point campaign four years ago see lot energy herring say herring republican challenger november john adams also do well corporate defense lawyer work george w. bush white house adams raise 1.5 million roughly 26 percent point republican candidate virginia 2013 first run 2012 would tell people one consequential offices people would give funny look say bob ferguson washington state attorney general successfully sue block trump first travel ban get look anymore national fundraise arm republican attorneys general raga announce raise record 7.4 million first six months 2017 45 percent point last election cycle 2015. republican ags file legal brief defend trump travel ban policies substantive work help trump administration also weigh lot regulatory issue motivate people say west virginia attorney general patrick morrisey raga chairman meanwhile democratic ag counterpart daga raise 3.1 million january june daga executive director sean rankin say 73 percent first half 2015. daga hire full time finance staff first time year rankin say launch first candidate recruit program four years ago people move pace say sure donors motivate simply whether candidate support oppose trump c. boyden gray serve white house counsel ambassador european union two republican presidents double donation virginia ag race year largely think adams talent aspire even high office gray also say recognize grow stature attorneys general up game last decade gray say raga decide year end longstanding custom avoid spend money democratic incumbents daga follow suit neither committee yet file individual donor list first half 2017 deadline monday republicans currently hold 29 state ag seat across country next year 32 ag elections schedule include district columbia wisconsin republican attorney general brad schimel raise 454,000 end june even though reelection november 2018 2014 campaign schimel raise much three months election representative schimel return request comment schimel face josh kaul attorney raise 175,000 since launch run april kaul law firm perkins coie serve top election law adviser hillary clinton campaign last year kaul campaign already draw raga attention fund web site target raga also fund online ads iowa attorney general tom miller expect run reelection next year set website attack aaron ford democratic state senator nevada eye ag run 2018. colorado four democrats currently vie ag nomination fundraise leader phil weiser serve technology advisor obama white house raise 355,000 end june almost four time democratic candidate raise point 2013. incumbent republican cynthia coffman disclose 40,000 contributions ag committee however coffman also mull run governor unclear whether donors await decision write check coffman respond request comment weiser make fight trump centerpiece message say democratic donors make sophisticate investment confront administration push open door weiser say trump bump court fight draw big money attorney general race