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Cobb�s two contenders for the Georgia governor�s mansion have hauled no small sums for their war chests, though both fell behind the state�s lieutenant governor, who is seeking to move up to the governor�s seat when ballots are cast in November.
The MDJ examined finance reports showing contributions made during the reporting period, overall contributions, expenses made throughout the campaign and remaining net balance. Based on those reports, more than $20.4 million has reportedly been raised by seven of the top candidates running for governor through the most recent filing campaign finance reporting period that ended Jan. 31, with Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle pulling nearly a third of that amount � nearly $6.8 million � making him the top fundraiser in the early stages of the race.
Among the other four top Republicans vying for the GOP nomination, Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp had the next highest contribution total with almost $2.9 million.
Behind Kemp is former State Sen. Hunter Hill, who previously represented parts of Cobb and Fulton counties. Hill�s contributions totaled nearly $2.26 million. Close behind with more than $2.1 million � with $450,000 coming in the form of loans to his campaign � was Republican business executive and former Navy SEAL Clay Tippins of Buckhead, who is the nephew of state Sen. Lindsey Tippins, R-west Cobb.
State Sen. Michael Williams, R-Forsyth County, has pulled nearly $1.8 million, good for fifth among the five GOP contenders, though most has come in the form of loans to his campaign totaling $1.5 million.
Williams� total was than the hauls from the two Democrats in the race: Stacey Abrams, a former state representative and former minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives, and Stacey Evans, who previously served Cobb as the state representative for District 42, which includes about half of Smyrna and parts of Marietta and Cumberland. Both Democratic contenders� have collected more than $2.2 million each.
Kerwin Swint, a political science professor and director of Kennesaw State University�s School of Government and International Affairs, said campaign disclosures did not show any surprises on the GOP side of the table.
�On the Republican side, I think the financial reports pretty much told us what people expected, and that is that Cagle had a very good year and a good reporting period, and you would expect (that) given his status as the perceived frontrunner and sitting lieutenant governor with deep ties in the legislature and around the state,� Swint said. �I think that reflects his advantage in the race.�
WHAT DO THE DOLLARS MEAN FOR PRIMARIES?
While the GOP field stands crowded ahead of the May 22 primary, for the Democrats, it remains a battle of two Staceys �Abrams and Evans � with the latter showing a slightly lower amount of contributions.
Evans� disclosure reported nearly $2.3 million in total contributions, including $1 million she loaned her campaign during the reporting period.With just over $726,000 spent on the race so far, Evans ended January with more than $1.57 million in her campaign�s war chest.
Abrams has brought $2.27 million to her campaign so far, with loans accounting for just $50,000, but she spent more than $1.8 million of that haul, leaving about $461,000 left.
�The only thing that surprised me was Stacey Abrams� report had less cash on hand for the primary in May. That may mean that she�s very confident about winning the primary, but it�s still a little surprising,� Swint said.
The KSU professor said that while qualifying isn�t until March, an 11th-hour entrant into the party primary fields are unlikely, which means the state�s Democrats are likely to see a Stacey on their ballot come November.
As for the GOP field, Swint said, the multiple names on the ballot means Republican voters will likely have to go to the polls twice � the May 22 primary and a July 24 contest between the top two vote-getters.
�I think a runoff is pretty likely, although you can never know for sure. You can�t discount the possibility (Cagle) will win a majority, (but) it�s just not likely with that many candidates raising that kind of money,� Swint said.
And while Cagle seemingly remains the frontrunner between his financial advantage, name recognition and other factors, Swint said his competitors could close the gap through any grassroots developments or big-time endorsements. Their fundraising hauls also keep them all in the race, he added.
�No one embarrassed themselves, I don�t think,� Swint said with a laugh. �I don�t know if anyone else really particularly stood out. I know Tippins got into the race later than everyone else, but he seemed OK, he seemed to do well. I think the others are in a position to be competitive depending on how the fundraising goes from here on out. I think we�ll be able to tell a little bit more in the next reporting period.�
NOTABLE NAMES ON FUNDRAISING REPORTS
Cagle�s campaign finance report shows a number of donations from notable locals, Georgia companies and those whose presence goes beyond the Peach State.
Among the contributions listed on his reports was $6,600 from Anheuser-Busch Company, $6,200 from Columbus-based AFLAC Inc., $5,000 from Atlanta Braves Inc. and $5,000 each from fantasy sports site companies DraftKings and FanDuel. Contributions to Cagle from local companies included $5,000 from Marietta-based Ed Voyles Automotive Group and $4,100 from Marietta-based C.W. Matthews Contracting, while among the Cobb individuals who gave state Sen. Lindsey Tippins at $1,600 and former Marietta City Schools superintendent Emily Lembeck at $450.
Tippins � the state senator � also contributed to his nephew�s campaign, though gave a much higher amount of $2,600. The governor candidate � Clay � also earned donations of $3,900 from State Rep. Allen Peake, R-Macon; $2,500 from Seven Oaks Principal Bob Voyles; and $17,100 from Cumberland-based Davis Exploration.
Kemp�s notable donations included $4,500 from State Rep. Matt Dollar, R-east Cobb, and $2,600 from Kauffman Tire Inc. Hunter Hill brought in $2,000 from AFLAC and $1,000 from Gary Bottoms, the 2017 Cobb Chamber chairman.
Williams� donations included $1,000 from Ed Voyles Automotive, with his disclosure listing as his campaign chairman Duane �Dog� Chapman � better known as Dog the Bounty Hunter � though it spells Chapman�s first name as �Dwayne.� Serving as treasurer for the campaign, according to the filing, is Gary Martin Hays, an Atlanta-based personal injury attorney whose TV commercials may be recognized by regular viewers.
In the Democratic contest, both gubernatorial candidates earned contributions of $13,200 from Las Vegas-based MGM Resorts International. Some of Abrams� other large donations included $6,600 contributions from MoveOn.org, the Georgia Electrical Workers Association and the Service Employees International Union.
Evans� campaign drew contributions of $1,500 from AFLAC and $250 from Deane Bonner, the longtime leader of the Cobb NAACP chapter during the reporting period.
