“I admit it’s a long shot, but given the choices in the race, Burgum certainly is one of the most qualified candidates,” Vabulas said. “He’s the type of person we need in our country. No controversies, no drama. Just get it done.”

Just as he leads the polls in Georgia, Trump dominates the early race for campaign cash in the state. He has raised more than $826,000 from Georgia donors — nearly twice as much as his closest Republican rival, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley at nearly $464,000.

But an analysis of campaign finance reports and interviews with donors across Georgia point to Trump’s vulnerabilities in a state that has vexed him like no other, as the home of his close defeat in 2020 and the walloping of his hand-picked GOP challengers in last year’s primary.

About half of Georgia donors who opened their wallets to Republican hopefuls gave to Trump’s rivals.

His critics worry that Trump’s obsession with election fraud lies, role in the violent Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and mounting legal problems will sink his chances in a rematch against President Joe Biden. And they are keen to boost alternatives who have a narrow window to gain traction against Trump.

Mark Dowis of Peachtree City will quickly compare former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s prospects of winning the White House to a “snowball’s chance of surviving an Albany, Georgia, summer day.” But he nonetheless wrote a $250 check to Christie for strategic purposes.

“I gave because I want Chris Christie on the debate stage on the off chance that Trump chooses to participate,” Dowis said. “Chris knows the guy as well or better than any of the other declared candidates,” so he could better challenge Trump on national TV.

The debate is seen as a decisive moment in a race so far defined by its stagnant dynamics, with Trump holding a comfortable double-digit lead in most polls. To participate is no small feat — candidates must log at least 40,000 individual donors and register at least 1% in key polls.

‘Our only hope’

Trump’s most formidable rival in the crowded Republican field remains Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, whose struggling campaign is still polling in the No. 2 spot.

But Haley, the ex-governor of neighboring South Carolina, has raised more cash from Georgia donors than any other Republican hopeful aside from Trump. With the help of Eric Tanenblatt, a well-connected strategist, Haley collected more from donors in Georgia than all but five other states.

Kirk Herod of Woodstock was so impressed by Haley’s call for fresh voices in Washington that he wrote a $55 check — even if he’s skeptical that voters are ready for the first female U.S. president.

Credit: Ben Gray

Credit: Ben Gray

“I’d like to see her in the running,” Herod said. “I really think Trump needs to step aside. If he’s the candidate, I’ll support him. But there’s a lot of other strong candidates out there.”

DeSantis has held his own moneywise, logging more than $20 million in donations, including about $210,000 from Georgians. But records also indicate trouble spots, with most contributions coming from donors who have “maxed out” by giving the $3,300 limit for primaries. Relatively few of his donations — about 15% — are from small-dollar donors who gave less than $200.

With a campaign reboot underway — about a dozen staffers were let go or left in July, and Georgia consultant Cody Hall is among the new hires — his supporters see DeSantis as the most credible hope for Republicans to sideline Trump.

“He’s smart, he’s young and he’s got a lot of energy. He’s got to get through Trump, but I don’t see Trump winning in November,” said Steven Mallon of Suwanee, who wrote the Florida governor three checks totaling $505.

Credit: Miguel Martinez

Credit: Miguel Martinez

“I think DeSantis can be that candidate who wins, and I just want to help him get out of the gate,” he added. “I’m a hard-core Trump type of person. If Trump could have shown a miniscule of humility, he would still be the president. He just couldn’t get out of his own way.”

Trump’s supporters have mobilized, too, thanks in part to an extensive fundraising operation that targets his most loyal voters.

Zennie Hall of Tybee Island is among the Georgia devotees bombarded by a dozen texts a day from Trump’s campaign seeking cash. She has obliged with 38 separate contributions since April totaling $361.21, though she wishes her gifts would stop the text appeals that constantly light up her phone.

“I support him 100%. That’s it. He’s the only one who can really get us back on the right track. I don’t think the other Republicans have a shot. They may be good people, but Trump is going to have the support in the back end,” Hall said. “I believe he is our only hope.”

Trump’s critics don’t doubt the fervency of Georgians such as Hall. Vabulas, for one, knows the challenges ahead for Burgum, who might struggle to fill a living room in Georgia — let alone a swanky hotel ballroom.

Still, Vabulas was surprised to learn he and his wife accounted for more than half of Burgum’s Georgia fundraising total.

“I learned more about business from that man than anybody in my career,” Vabulas said. “He knows how to solve problems. He believes in doing what’s best for the people, and that’s how he’s lived his life. I would never count him out.”

Staff writer Isaac Sabetai contributed to this report.