Rich McCormick top fundraiser in 6th Congressional District

ATLANTA — Emergency room physician Dr. Rich McCormick has raised more money than any other candidate in a crowded Republican primary field in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District.

But Jake Evans, former chairman of the Georgia Government Transparency & Campaign Finance Commission, has a little more cash on hand than McCormick for the final weeks heading into the May 24 GOP primary.

McCormick raised $605,054 during the first quarter of this year, according to a report filed with the Federal Election Commission. But he had already raised a lot more earlier in the 2022 election cycle, which brought his total campaign fundraising to nearly $3 million through the end of last month.

Evans raised $411,163 during January, February and March, bringing his total to more than $1.5 million. But since Evans has held onto most of his money to be spent in the campaign’s final stages, he still had $1.24 million cash on hand as of March 31, compared to $1.16 million for McCormick.

Both men have relied on loans to help bolster their bottom lines. Evans has loaned his campaign $700,000, while McCormick has put up $680,200 of his money in the form of a loan.

After the General Assembly’s Republican majority redrew the 6th Congressional District map to heavily favor the GOP, the race drew a lot of interest from Republicans. Besides McCormick and Evans, six other Republicans are on the primary ballot.

Business owner Mallory Staples raised $726,372 through the first quarter, including a $250,000 personal loan. Former state Rep. Meagan Hanson raised $531,186 through March 31, including a personal loan of $50,000.

Blake Harbin raised $260,263 through the first quarter. However, $250,000 of that came in the form of a loan Harbin made to his campaign.

Suzi Voyles raised $124,277 through the end of last month, slightly ahead of Byron Gatewood’s $105,376. Eugene Wu’s campaign brought in $74,145, including a personal loan of $50,000.

The only Democrat running in the 6th District, Bob Christian, is self-financing nearly all of this campaign. Of the $106,540 he has raised, $105,220 came through a personal loan.

The 6th District, currently served by U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, D-Marietta, was substantially reshaped during the special redistricting session of the General Assembly last November to extend north through Republican-friendly Forsyth and Dawson counties, and eastern Cherokee County.

As a result, McBath is now running in the 7th Congressional District against fellow Democratic Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux, who defeated McCormick two years ago to win her seat in Congress.