NASHVILLE - Republican Randy Boyd says he will report raising more than $2.3 million for his 2018 gubernatorial campaign while injecting an additional $2 million of his own money into what is now a four-person GOP primary with still room to grow.
The Knoxville businessman and former state economic commissioner said in a news release that his campaign collected more than $4.3 million, including his own contribution, from March 1 through June 30.
Mid-year supplemental reports are due to the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance by midnight Monday.
"I am deeply grateful for the early and generous support from so many Tennesseans," Boyd said in a statement. "There are many ways to contribute and to help our campaign effort, but these early dollars from all 95 counties mean a lot and are a good indication of my commitment to campaign in and earn the support of every corner of our state."
He said he raised the estimated $2.3 million from over 1,500 grassroots donations.
Boyd said his early contribution is part of a "pledge" he made to his political and fundraising teams that he intends to cover all overhead and operational costs during the campaign and use money raised from others for voter contact and campaign advertising.
"We've said from the beginning that resources will not be an issue in winning this campaign, but we will not be doing it with dollars alone," the multi-millionaire businessman said. "No other candidate or campaign will outwork us in meeting voters where they live and in earning their trust and support as we take our grassroots campaign to every county in our state."
One of Boyd's GOP rivals, businessman Bill Lee of Franklin, last week reported raising $1.375 million from donors while personally contributing a like amount to the campaign.
Others running in the GOP primary to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Bill Haslam are Tennessee Senate Speaker Beth Harwell, R-Nashville, who declared her candidacy after the latest filing period, and state Sen. Mae Beavers, R-Mt. Juliet.
U.S. Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn., is widely assumed to declare her candidacy before long. On the Democratic side, former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean has declared. Tennessee House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh, D-Ripley, is expected to declare his candidacy either late this month or in early August.