The Rev. Raphael Warnock will report that he raised roughly $1.5 million over a two-month span since joining the contest for U.S. Senate, setting an early financial marker as he tries to consolidate Democratic support in a volatile free-for-all race.
Warnock, who pastors Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, ended the first quarter with about $1.2 million in cash on hand. His campaign said the reverend drew contributions from more than 30,000 donors, and that 95% of them were under $100.
The Democrat entered the race against U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler on Jan. 30, and quickly lined up endorsements from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and a host of prominent Georgia figures, including Stacey Abrams and former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young.
The financial reports for federal candidates due this week span a three-month period between Jan. 1 and the end of March, a stretch that coincided with a worsening coronavirus pandemic that drained bank accounts and sapped interest in political contests.
Warnock is one of 20 candidates competing to challenge Loeffler, a financial executive who is scrambling to stem the fallout over recent stock transactions. They will share the same November special election ballot, and a runoff between the two top contenders is necessary if none get a majority of the vote.
