Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle raising money for 2018 race he may never run
Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle reported Thursday that he raised and spent about $3 million for his easy re-election win in November.
But Cagle’s report also showed that after the election, he raised $13,500 to run for re-election again in 2018.
Raising money for your re-election right after being re-elected is common. But Cagle may be raising money for a race he’ll never run. He is widely considered one of the leading candidates to run instead for governor in 2018, when Gov. Nathan Deal will be winding up his second and final term.
Under state law, Cagle can’t use money he raised for his lieutenant governor’s races to run for another office. But he can use it to maintain his current position and can give it away to other politicians to build his support.
Among the 2018 campaign donors were the psychologist and concrete lobbies, NCR and a Dallas-based firm known for cutting taxes for business. The company also happens to employ state Rep. Chuck Martin, R-Alpharetta.
Cagle’s lieutenant governor’s account had $66,000 left at the end of 2014. By comparison, at the end of 2010, when it was assumed Deal would be running for re-election and Cagle would be seeking another term to his current job, his account was stuffed with close to $400,000.
About the Author
James Salzer has covered state government and politics in Georgia since 1990. He previously covered politics and government in Texas and Florida. He specializes in government finance, budgets, taxes, campaign finance, ethics and legislative history
