Gov. Nathan Deal's campaign coffers were buoyed over the past six months by contributions from the healthcare and insurance industries and by lobbyists with business before the state.
Deal filed papers with the state ethics commission on Friday that detail the money he raised and spentover the first six months of year. The Republican who took office in January raised more than $550,000, spent just under $200,000 and has more than $420,000 in cash on hand. While the report covers Jan. 1 through June 30, Deal and other state elected officials are barred from raising money while the Legislature in session; the 2011 session began Jan. 10 and ended April 14.
Hospitals, doctors other healthcare professionals and insurance agencies contributed more than $110,000 to Deal's 2014 campaign, or one of every five dollars the governor raised. Lobbyists representing a diverse set of interests, including industries interested in expanding Sunday alcohol sales, gave another $41,000 while construction-related contributions netted Deal nearly $25,000.
Deal spokesman Brian Robinson said special interests who give to the campaign get no special attention.
"Those who give seek to affirm their support for Gov. Deal's policies and governing style," Robinson said. "A contribution to the governor's campaign expresses support for a continuation of these conservative, pro-growth policies."
Deal's fund-raising performance closely mirrors former Gov. Sonny Perdue's first six months in office in 2003. Perdue raised $587,000 in that period and spent about $200,000. But Perdue entered the year with more than $1 million in his account and had $1.5 million in cash on hand July 1, 2003.
But, times were different then, said veteran Republican strategist Mark Rountree. Rountree, who is not working for Deal's campaign, noted that Georgia's political money traditionally comes from banking and real estate interests.
"Given the recession, I'm sure those industries are not giving at a level they had in the past," Rountree said. "So for [Deal] to have raised what he has is even more impressive."
Banking and real estate interests have not abandoned political giving, however. Bankers and their firms gave more than $22,000 to Deal while real estate agents and firms gave more than $25,000.
Deal tapped leaders of many of the state's top companies for contributions, as well. Richard Anderson, chief executive officer of Delta, gave $2,500. The head of Aflac insurance gave $2,500, while the CEO of Georgia Power gave $5,000, and the president of Synovus chipped in another $2,500. Twenty-three individuals and companies gave the maximum allowable contribution of $6,300.
Seventeen percent of Deal's contributions came from out of state.
On the expenditure side, more than 40 percent of Deal's spending was for legal help. He spent more than $62,000 with the McKenna Long law firm and paid another $22,500 to Rick Thompson, the former executive director of the state ethics commission who now helps candidates and elected officials comply with ethics laws.
Randy Evans, a top Republican lawyer at McKenna Long, represents Deal and has helped the governor answer complaints filed against him with the ethics commission.
Deal paid another $25,000 to his daughter-in-law, Denise Deal, who is the governor's chief fundraiser. Deal paid Denise Deal nearly $10,000 directly as a campaign aide and paid her firm, Southern Magnolia Capital, another $15,000.
Robinson said Denise Deal was paid $1,500 a month as the campaign's finance director. Her firm was paid for a fundraising event in December. Robinson said Denise Deal's campaign salary will be deducted from the amount the campaign pays Southern Magnolia for its work in the current reporting period.
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