Georgia governor Brian P. Kemp has raised more than $4.4 million since June 30th and now has $5 million in the bank, according to his campaign manager. One of Kemp’s big donors was Kelly Loeffler, the governor’s appointee to the U.S. Senate to replace Johnny Isakson. Loeffler gave the maximum $18,100 to Kemp’s campaign.
According to political action committee filings, Kemp received $110,000 from the leading nursing home interests in the state, plus $52,000 from the family that owns PruittHealth. The company’s CEO, Neil L. Pruitt, Jr. serves on the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents.
Two private prison companies, GEO Group and CoreCivic, chipped in a combined $25,000 to Kemp’s coffers. Private prison companies have received nearly $140 million in state funding from the Kemp administration. This year, Governor Kemp recommended an increase this year while proposing major cuts to state-funded prisons.
However, Kemp’s war chest pails in comparison to his rival, Democrat Stacey Abrams. Abrams has raised $1.2 million in January, and the political action committee for Fair Fight Action, the organization Abrams started after losing the 2018 governor’s race, now has almost $12 million in the bank, according to disclosures filed Friday.
Fair Fight Action has raised $20 million since its formation in the wake of Abrams’ close loss to Governor Kemp.
Presidential candidate and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg donated $5 million to Fair Fight Action. The biggest donor in January was Tulsa businesswoman and philanthropist Stacy Schusterman, who gave $500,000.
The battle for the Governor’s mansion in 2018 was the most expensive gubernatorial race in Georgia history. Abrams spent $27 million during her election campaign.
