Burt Jones far ahead of Charlie Bailey in fundraising for lieutenant governor

ATLANTA — Republican state Sen. Burt Jones has jumped out to a huge fund-raising lead over Democrat Charlie Bailey in the race for lieutenant governor with fewer than four months remaining until Election Day.

Meanwhile, the Democratic challengers in the contests for secretary of state and state school superintendent are outpacing the GOP incumbents in the battle for campaign dollars.

Those are among the results of the latest campaign-finance reports filed with the state covering statewide down-ballot candidates’ fund-raising and spending through the end of last month.

Jones, R-Jackson, had raised $6.7 million through June 30, according to a report filed late last week with the Georgia Government Transparency & Campaign Finance Commission. Of that amount, $4 million came in the form of two loans.

Even without the loans, Jones still had raised more money from campaign contributors than Bailey, who had raised just less than $1.1 million through the end of last month.

The two are vying for a seat being vacated by Republican Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, who isn’t seeking a second term.

Jones was the only statewide Republican candidate endorsed by former President Donald Trump to capture a GOP nomination in the May primaries. Several others — notably former U.S. Sen. David Perdue in the gubernatorial primary — went down to defeat.

In the race for secretary of state, Democratic state Rep. Bee Nguyen of Atlanta had raised about $2.2 million through June 30, slightly ahead of GOP incumbent Brad Raffensberger, who had brought in just less than $2 million.

Further down the ballot, Democratic former state Rep. Alisha Thomas Searcy had raised $97,821 in the contest for state school superintendent. Incumbent Republican Richard Woods had raised just $54,672 through June 30.

Elsewhere, Republicans were leading Democrats in fundraising in statewide contests for two open seats and two seats held by GOP incumbents.

Republican Attorney General Chris Carr’s campaign had brought in $3.2 million through the end of last month, while state Sen. Jennifer Jordan of Atlanta, his Democratic challenger, had raised $2.1 million.

GOP Insurance Commissioner John King dwarfed Democratic challenger Janice Laws Robinson in fundraising, bringing in just more than $900,000 through June 30 to $61,215 for the challenger.

The fundraising contest was equally one-sided in the race for the open agriculture commissioner seat. Republican state Sen. Tyler Harper of Ocilla had raised $1.27 million through the end of last month to just $50,567 for Democrat Nakita Hemingway.

In a more competitive fundraising contest involving the open labor commissioner seat. Republican state Sen. Bruce Thompson of White had brought in $663,029 through June 30, to $528,357 for Democratic state Rep. William Boddie of East Point.