from The Hill by Aaron Blake

Rep. Tom Perriello (D-Va.) raised a strong $309,000 in the fourth quarter and entered 2010 with $874,000 cash on hand.

Perriello appears to be in an increasingly strong position, with two well-funded Republicans standing in the way of the establishment favorite, state Sen. Robert Hurt (R). There is also the threat of an independent candidacy from one of them, self-funder Jim McKelvey, or former Rep. Virgil Goode (R-Va.). McKelvey has put $500,000 into his campaign.

Perriello raised more than $1.1 million for the year. His fourth quarter total was his best of the year.

His district's proximity to Washington, D.C., has made it into Case Study No. 1 for the environment faced by House Democrats.