WDBJ7 Airs Campaign Finance Segment Before Election
Local broadcaster profiles Independent congressional candidate Cooke Harvey ahead of Tuesday's Virginia polls.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Elections
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WDBJ7 aired an At Issue segment on campaign finances and a candidate profile of Independent Cooke Harvey on Nov. 1. Nationwide candidates have raised almost $3.7 billion, according to the broadcaster's coverage.
Why it matters
Virginia voters face races including the Fifth Congressional District, where Independent Cooke Harvey is running alongside Republican Rep. John McGuire and Democrat Tom Perriello. Campaign finance data offers residents a clearer view of who is funding competing campaigns.
Nationwide candidates have raised almost $3.7 billion, but the source does not break this total down by Virginia race. Polls in the Fifth Congressional District and statewide close at 7 p.m. on Election Day.
The players
WDBJ7
WDBJ7 is the Roanoke, Virginia television station that broadcasts the At Issue segment and its Election Day coverage.
Cooke Harvey
Cooke Harvey is an Independent candidate for Congress in Virginia's Fifth District who lives in Amherst County.
John McGuire
John McGuire is the Republican incumbent representing Virginia's Fifth Congressional District in Congress.
Tom Perriello
Tom Perriello is the Democratic candidate running in Virginia's Fifth Congressional District, a former congressman seeking a return to office.
The details
At Issue featured extended candidate profiles with McGuire and Perriello in recent weeks, and WDBJ7 political analysts Dr. Bob Denton and Dr. Cayce Myers discussed campaign finance data. The station will be live with election results starting at 7 p.m. on Election Day.
Timeline
Nov. 1: WDBJ7 airs the At Issue campaign finance segment and Cooke Harvey profile.
Nov. 3, 6 a.m.: Polls open across Virginia.
Nov. 3, 7 p.m.: Polls close and WDBJ7 live results begin.
Election Context
Nearly $3.7 billion in nationwide candidate fundraising for the 2026 midterm cycle frames the Fifth District contest in Virginia. The local broadcast of campaign finance data gives Virginia voters a view of how that national spending reaches their own races.
Virginia voters have until 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3 to cast ballots at their polling places. Reviewing candidate finance data and profiles before polls open can help residents compare options in the Fifth District and statewide races.
The takeaway
Campaign finance reporting and candidate profiles give voters a practical way to compare who is funding each race before casting a ballot. Checking polling times and locations ahead of Election Day helps ensure a vote is counted.
What happens next
Polls open at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3, and close at 7 p.m., with WDBJ7 live results beginning at that time and coverage running until 11:30 p.m.
Further reading
Explore more on Elections coverage across Virginia.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Wdbj7.
Live Poll
Do you think big campaign spending makes Congress less responsive to voters?
