MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Republican gubernatorial nominee Tommy Tuberville and Democratic nominee Doug Jones were neck and neck in fundraising in the Alabama governor’s race in September, according to campaign finance reports filed last week.
With a difference of about $25,000, Tuberville, Alabama’s senior U.S. senator raised $1.13 million. That edged out Jones, a former U.S. senator, who had a September intake of $1.11 million.
More than half of Tuberville’s fundraising last month stemmed from major contributions, which are classified as $20,000 or more.
A $25,000 donation came from LearningSpring Inc. out of Denver, Colorado, a “K–12 school choice platform and Federal Education Tax Credit hub,” according to its website. Tuberville released an ad championing school choice in Alabama on Sept. 23. The Alabama Department of Revenue currently manages Alabama’s school choice program created by the CHOOSE Act through ClassWallet software.
Other major contributions included:
- $100,000 from Alabama Realtors PAC in Montgomery;
- $100,000 from Silver Capital Advisors in Boca Raton, Florida;
- $100,000 from Old Town II, LLC in Huntsville;
- $100,000 from an individual in Dothan;
- $50,018 from SDT Holdings, LLC in Birmingham;
- $50,000 from Gulf Distributing Holdings, LLC in Mobile;
- $50,000 from Pinebrook Properties LLC in Mobile;
- $20,000 from CVS in Woonsocket, Rhode Island;
- $20,000 from an individual in Grove Hill;
- $20,000 from TCBC Development Company in Cottonwood.
Tuberville also took in several four-figure donations from businesses and corporations associated with the forestry and lumber, nursing home and medical equipment manufacturing industries.
“Coach continues to raise and spend money at a record pace to make sure Alabama candidates up and down the ballot win on November 3,” campaign spokesperson Mallory Jaspers told Alabama Daily News.
Jones received no major contributions last month. The majority of his donations came from donations from individuals, not businesses or corporations.
Five PACs also donated a total of $11,500 to Jones’ campaign:
- $5,000 from Engineers Political Education Committee in Washington, DC;
- $3,000 from March on PAC in Washington, DC;
- $1,500 from Chilton County Democratic Party in Clanton;
- $1,000 from Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen in Independence, Ohio;
- $1,000 from New Direction PAC in Washington, DC.
Spending
Tuberville spent $4.09 million last month, more than double Jones’ September spend of $1.46 million. The September expenditures bring Tuberville’s total over the course of the race to $9.26 million and Jones’ to $3.7 million. Tuberville also leads in total fundraising with $15.67 million since joining the race, compared to Jones’ $5.87 million.
Tuberville headed into the last full month before the election with a war chest of $6.56 million. Jones had $2.18 million.
The general election is on Nov. 3. The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 19.