By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Wednesday, the end-of-year campaign finance reports for gubernatorial candidates were made public on the Secretary of State’s website. Gov. Kay Ivey continues to maintain a substantial fundraising lead over all of her Republican opponents.
Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle finished the year with $1,190,303 in cash on hand. $974,430 less than Ivey has in her account.
Ivey reported going into the new year with $2,064,733 in cash.
Kay Ivey was in her second term as lieutenant governor last April when then Gov. Robert Bentley pleaded guilty to misdemeanor campaign finance law violations and resigned. Ivey has been governor for nine months but has overseen dramatically decreased unemployment and a surging economy in the state.
Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries John McMillan reports having $53,144 in cash on hand at the end of 2017.
The Alabama Political Reporter talked with McMillan on Thursday, and he said that he has moved that money over to his campaign to be state Treasurer. McMillan told APR that he would qualify for Treasurer when candidate qualifying begins on Tuesday. He is term-limited from running for another term as commissioner of Agriculture and Industries. Current state Treasurer Young Boozer is term-limited from running for another term.
State Sen. Bill Hightower, R-Mobile, reports having $619,869 in cash on hand for his gubernatorial campaign.
Businessman, Joshua Clayton Jones, reports going into the new year with $236,462 in cash on hand.
Evangelist and youth pastor, Scott Dawson, reports having $363,315 in cash on hand for his gubernatorial campaign.
State Auditor Jim Zeigler reports $916 in his gubernatorial account. Jim Zeigler is still exploring whether or not he is running for governor. Zeigler could run for a second term as state auditor.
Jefferson County Commissioner David Carrington had previously announced that he was running for governor, but has since withdrawn from the race. Like Carrington, Public Service Commission President Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh had announced her candidacy for governor while Bentley was still in office; but has since dropped out of the race after Gov. Ivey announced her candidacy. President Cavanaugh is running for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor instead.
To this point, the total amount of money raised in this race equals $6,571,002. Candidates for governor have already spent $2,033,197 in this race.
Alabama Democrats also have a crowded field for governor.
The major party primary is on June 5, 2018. Major party candidate qualifying formally opens on Tuesday, Jan. 9.
