ATLANTA – A primarily self-funded candidate leads a crowded Republican field in the battle for campaign bucks in Northwest Georgia’s 14th Congressional District.
Nine GOP hopefuls are vying to succeed U.S. Rep. Tom Graves, R-Ranger, who is not running for re-election.
Businesswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who had been running for the 6th Congressional District seat north of Atlanta until December, raised nearly $1.1 million through the first quarter of this year, most coming from a $700,000 loan she floated to her campaign.
Greene’s total far surpasses the $521,581 brought in by another political newcomer, physician John Cowan of Rome, the second-highest fundraiser in the race, according to a report filed this week with the Federal Election Commission. The vast majority of Cowan’s money has come from individual contributors.
Air Force veteran and small business owner Ben Bullock raised $345,230 through the first quarter, also mostly in donations from individual contributors.
Business owner Matt Laughridge of Douglasville is next in the sweepstakes, having brought in $319,124 in January, February and March. Most of his funds came through a $250,000 personal loan.
Former state Rep. Bill Hembree of Dallas took in $253,425 during the first quarter, also getting the vast majority of his campaign war chest – $240,000 – through a loan he made to his treasury.
Clayton Fuller, a lawyer from Dalton, raised $218,378 during the first quarter, including a personal loan of $106,500.
Former State School Superintendent John Barge of Rome brought in $174,651 during January, February and March, most of which came through a personal loan of $150,000. Barge served one term as school superintendent from 2011 until the beginning of 2015 and unsuccessfully challenged then-Gov. Nathan Deal’s reelection bid in 2014.
Kevin Cooke of Bremen, an associate athletic director, raised $98,604 during the first quarter. Business owner Andy Gunther, also from Bremen, had brought in just $10,296 through the end of March, most from a personal loan.
Only one Democrat is running for the seat Graves is vacating is the heavily Republican 14th District. Kevin Van Ausdal of Rossville has struggled to raise money, bringing in only $7,401 by the end of March, including a $3,000 personal loan.
Georgia’s 14th Congressional District stretches from Paulding and Haralson counties north through Rome, Calhoun and Dalton to the Tennessee line.