Follow the money.

It was true during Watergate. It’s true now.

You want to know who’s bankrolling candidates in political races? Look at the loot.

And there’s a lot of it this year. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are being pumped into Virginia campaigns from out of state.

Do you really want former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg picking your next state senator? 

Me neither. Read on. 

What do you say we look at one very interesting local race: The 8th State Senate district contest between incumbent Sen. Bill DeSteph and Democratic challenger, Missy Cotter Smasal. Two Navy vets.

According to the Virginia Public Access Project - a non-profit that tracks political contributions - it appears DeSteph has raised $744,319 so far. Almost all of his money comes from inside the Old Dominion. The only sizable out-of-state donation I could find was $35,000 from the National Association of Realtors. The rest came from local businesses, individuals and the state GOP.

By contrast, political novice Missy Cotter Smasal has raised an astonishing sum of money, according to VPAP: $1,844,501.

Among her big backers? A national gun control group, national abortion enthusiasts and national trade unions.

Ask yourself why these groups are so involved in the campaign of someone who wants to become a part-time citizen legislator in Virginia.

Michael Bloomberg’s virulent anti-gun group, Everytown for Gun Safety, has pumped nearly $1 million - so far -  into Virginia races this election cycle. 

Everytown’s biggest single contribution went to Smasal: $160,675.

Bloomberg was known for his over-reaching nanny government instincts when he was mayor of New York. His ridiculous prohibition on the sale of large soft drinks was struck down by an appeals court. But his real crusade is guns. Everytown was founded in 2006 with $50 million of Bloomberg’s personal fortune and the money is spread around the country to boost supporters of gun control.

Smasal has been trying to capitalize on last May’s Virginia Beach mass shooting with an ad that features a woman who escaped the massacre. Smasal’s ad accuses DeSteph of failing to vote on gun legislation during the emotion-fueled special session the governor called last summer.

Exploiting a horror like the May 31st bloodbath is contemptible. But that’s what Ralph Northam did when he called the General Assembly back to Richmond in July to try to pass gun bills that had failed during the regular session. It was a cynical stunt, aimed at changing the conversation from the Democrats’ blackface scandal to guns.

The point of Smasal’s ad is murky. She fails to tell us which law would have prevented the Virginia Beach mass shooting. The shooter reportedly passed background checks, owned legal weapons and used handguns - not assault weapons - to carry out his murderous rampage. As a municipal employee, he was forbidden to bring firearms onto city property. But he ignored that rule.

Smasal has also taken a large chunk of dough from pro-abortion groups. Planned Parenthood has poured $75,392 into her campaign in three installments. And Emily’s List, a pro-abortion PAC that donates only to Democratic women candidates who support abortion, kicked in $21,000.

Emily’s List is one of the nation’s largest PACs. The group helped elect a number of far-left women in recent years: Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Ayanna Pressley and Katie Hill, the congresswoman who resigned this week after allegedly breaking House rules by engaging in sex with staffers. Plural. 

If out-of-state sources showering little-known local candidates with special-interest cash makes you queasy, you’re not alone.

Follow the money.