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RICHMOND A Virginia Republican activist who helped unseat former House majority leader Eric Cantor is urging the partys most conservative organizers to dig deep to keep the partys lights on through the end of the month.

Russ Moulton sent an e-mail Sunday to members of the Conservative Fellowship, the tea party-influenced wing of the party that dominates its governing board, sounding the alarm about the partys financial hole.

We must urgently raise $30k by end of March to keep our new, leaner RPV running, Moulton wrote of the party, which recently shed four staffers. If we want a truly financially-independent, grass roots, principled RPV free from the usual consultant-style bullying, threats, manipulation and control by elected officials we MUST step up and raise this bare minimum cash flow.

John Whitbeck, the new GOP chairman, downplayed the urgency of the partys financial trouble, but said he is remaking the organization to make it financially stable and less dependent on a few big donors.

The goal of raising $30,000 is not associated with the Republican Party of Virginia, Whitbeck said. Thats an aspirational goal to get to that number by the end of the month, but thats not a magic number that we need to get to keep operating.

The plea for cash comes as the party struggles to rebound from internal strife that was illustrated by Cantors ouster in last years Republican primary. Strategists say it could threaten the partys ability to maintain its majority in the state Senate this year and to deliver Virginia a crucial swing state for a Republican presidential candidate in 2016.

The state party, which was carrying more than $200,000 in debt and just $252 in cash at the end of January, is also relying on a promise of financial help from former lieutenant governor candidate Pete Snyder, a venture capitalist. If the party can raise $50,000 in donations of less than $1,000 by June, Snyder has promised to match that amount.

Snyder, who is serving as the partys finance chairman through the end of the year, said the rise in prominence of outside political groups as a result of the 2010 Supreme Court ruling on campaign finance also has steered donations away from the party.

Lack of unity has certainly contributed to financial woes, he said. But one issue across the country is were just in a very different world than we were a couple years back with Citizens United.

Business-centric Republicans loyal to Cantor say the real trouble started when the Conservative Fellowship took over the party apparatus a few years ago.

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Deep feud splitting Virginias GOP evident in partys fundraising woes