Lamar AlexanderNASHVILLE - Republican U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander's campaign spent $1.34 million in the first 18 days of July as the incumbent ramped up his GOP primary effort in advance of early voting in Tennessee, his disclosure shows.
The two-term senator reported to the Senate Secretary's Office of Public Records that he still had $2.19 million in cash on hand as of July 18. Alexander received $129,138 in contributions.
Meanwhile, Federal Election Commission filings show an independent political action committee run by the American College of Radiology Association has a major political mailer in the works in support of Alexander.
The group on Sunday reported it spent $90,937 for printing advertising for a mail drop. Alexander faces state Rep. Joe Carr, R-Lascassas, and Memphis physician and radio station owner George Flinn in the Aug. 7 Republican primary.
Early voting began July 18 and continues through Saturday.
Meanwhile, Alexander's bus tour may be in for a rough ride when it arrives in Nashville later today.
The group Beat Lamar, which backs Tea Party favorite Carr, announced this morning it is sponsoring a "No Amnesty" counter rally next to Alexander's stop in Nashville.
Alexander's campaign did not give advance notice to journalists about the late afternoon stop but Beat Lamar co-founder Michael Patrick Leahy gloated his group got wind of it.
"Lamar tried to hide it from us, but his 'stealth' bus tour will stop at 1222 16th Ave. South in Nashville at 5:30 pm," he said in a news release. "Since that location is half a block from our rally, when that bus arrives we will just walk down the street-as Lamar repeatedly said we could in recent press reports-and ask him why he voted YES for amnesty."
Carr and Flinn have demanded Alexander debate him, but the senator has effectively said no.