ATLANTA – Georgia Senate President Pro Tempore Butch Miller has raised more than $2 million in the five weeks since entering next year’s race for lieutenant governor, Miller’s campaign reported Thursday.
The fundraising haul for the Republican was jump-started by a campaign kickoff event in his hometown of Gainesville last week that drew more than 1,000 supporters, including former Gov. Nathan Deal and former U.S. Sen. David Perdue.
“We’re just getting started,” Miller said. “We’re traveling the state, we’re getting a tremendous response, and these numbers tell that story. I have a long record of conservative policy victories that have brought prosperity to Georgia, and I have a conservative vision to ensure that even better days are ahead for Georgia families and businesses.”
Miller got into the race in May shortly after incumbent Republican Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan declared he would not seek reelection. Nonetheless, Duncan had rolled up nearly $2.1 million in campaign contributions by the time he dropped out and still had more than $825,000 in his war chest as of the end of June, according to a report filed with the Georgia Government Transparency & Campaign Finance Commission.
One other candidate is running for lieutenant governor on the Republican side, Savannah GOP activist Jeanne Seaver. Her campaign finance report had not been posted on the commission’s website as of Thursday.
Two Democratic state representatives also are looking to step up to lieutenant governor. Neither Erick Allen of Smyrna nor Derrick Jackson of Tyrone had posted reports with the commission.