Government | Politics 2024: MICHAEL D. BILLS

The state’s biggest individual campaign donor, Michael Bills has become a lightning rod in Virginia political circles for who he funds — candidates who pledge not to take money from Dominion Energy — and who he doesn’t.

The founder and chief investment officer of Charlottesville-based Bluestem Asset Management, Bills founded Clean Virginia in 2018 with the goal of countering Dominion’s influence in the General Assembly and advocating for clean energy policies. Since then, he’s channeled millions to candidates through the Clean Virginia Fund, including more than $12 million in the 2022-23 election cycle. In April, Clean Virginia endorsed U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger’s bid to run as the Democratic candidate for governor in the 2025 race and pledged an initial $250,000 to her campaign. It was a move that likely contributed to Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney’s decision to drop out of the gubernatorial primary.

Bills, who lives in the Charlottesville area, maintains close ties to the University of Virginia, his alma mater. He previously helped manage the school’s endowment, teaches finance courses at the McIntire School of Commerce, and in 1992, helped co-found the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership.