Foust Leads Opponent in Fundraising, School Board Candidate Finances More Complicated

The incumbent Dranesville supervisor running for re-election far outdistances his opponent in campaign contributions, according to the latest finance reports filed by the candidates.

The fundraising is a little more complicated in the Dranesville School Board race between incumbent Jane Strauss and challenger Louise Epstein, which has become one of the most watched races in the county.

Strauss has lent her campaign nearly $50,000, while Epstein's media consultant has given nearly $60,000 in services as an in-kind contribution.

John Foust, a Democrat who is running for his second four-year term on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, raised nearly nearly$28,000 in cash in September.

The cash plus in-kind contributions gave Foust nearly $38,000 in total contributions for September, according to the Virginia Public Access Project, a nonprofit organization that tracks campaign contributions for the public.

He ended September with $72,960 going into the last month before the Nov. 8. election.

His Republican opponent, Dennis Husch, a defense contractor and former member of the Herndon Town Council, raised nearly $2,100 in cash. He listed no in-kind contributions.

Here are the highlights from the September campaign finances reports filled by the school board candidates.

Louise Epstein, Republican Challenger

In September she collected nearly $11,000 in campaign contributions, both cash and in-kind. Of that amount, about $4,300 was in-kind contributions from her media consultant Catherine Lorenze. Lorenze has contributed about $33,000* in in-kind contributions to Epstein since the beginning of the campaign, according to reports filed with the state of Virginia.

Epstein has lent her campaign a little over $5,600. She had an ending balance of nearly $12,000 heading to the last month of the race.

Jane Strauss, Democratic Incumbent

In September she collected nearly $6,800 in contributions. She received no in-kind contributions.

Strauss lent her campaign $10,000 in September. This was her second loan. In the summer she lent the campaign $39,000, according to the reports.

She paid her campaign consultants $3,000 directly for September. In total her campaign has spent $6,000 on political consultants.

Strauss had an ending balance of nearly $34,000 heading into the last month.

Election Day is Nov. 8.

* Correction: Catherine Lorenze gave $33,000 in in-kind contributions. The original amount of $60,000 was incorrect.