“People are very used to voting for Frank Wolf in this district, and two relatively unknown candidates need to spend a lot to get known,” says Stephen Farnsworth, political science professor at the University of Mary Washington.

He says the reason both candidates have raised more than $1 million is because of all the noise candidates have to combat.

“The focus nationally on the Senate means that a lot of House races are starved for cash this election cycle. They are also starved for attention,” Farnsworth says.

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