NASHVILLE - Three Tennessee Democrats vying for their party's nomination to take on Republican Gov. Bill Lee this fall have so far spent nearly $780,000 in their efforts to win the Aug. 4 primary, in which early voting begins Friday across the state.
State campaign financial disclosures also show that as of June 30, Nashville physician Jason Martin, Memphis City Councilman JB Smiley Jr. and Memphis activist Carnita Atwater collectively had $70,800 in cash on hand, according to filings this week with the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance.
Martin has raised and spent the most during the campaign, spending just shy of $584,000 on his effort. He reported having $66,098 in cash on hand as of June 30, the end of the reporting period.
Smiley was No. 2 in fundraising. He reported spending $204,800 and had a $4,600 cash balance.
Meanwhile, Atwater spent most of the $3,275 she has raised, reporting having $77 left as of June 30.
As Lee runs for re-election to a second term, the Republican businessman reported raising a scant $42,700 during the second quarter. That's because he hasn't held any fundraisers yet this year, although he is likely to do so, according to an adviser.
Lee, who spent nearly $5 million of his own money to help fuel his successful 2018 gubernatorial bid, has little to worry about in terms of dipping into his pocket for campaign cash in 2022.
Including previous campaign disclosures, he has received nearly $4.6 million from contributors.
Martin campaign manager Emily Cupples said during a Chattanooga Times Free Press phone interview Tuesday that fundraising was challenging this cycle given the 2020 U.S. Senate Democratic primary in which James Mackler, an attorney and Iraq War veteran, spent most of his time raising money for the general election. He wound up losing the Democratic primary to Memphis environmental activist Marquita Bradshaw.
Many political observers have attributed Mackler's loss to his focus on fundraising rather than campaigning. Republican Bill Hagerty handily defeated Bradshaw, who had little funding, in the 2020 general election.
"There was a lot of donor apprehension this cycle," Cupples said. "A lot of traditional Democratic donors didn't want to donate to one candidate during the primary. A lot sat back and said, 'We're going to wait and see what happens after the primary.'"
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She noted Mackler had raised some $2 million for his effort. She said Martin, a critical care physician, is taking nothing for granted and typically spends half his time in the hospitals where he works. The other half is spent campaigning across the state. She said he will be spending more time campaigning in the final weeks of the primary. He has raised over $600,000.
"What we have done though is activated other networks of nontraditional donors," Cupples said, adding Martin being a physician has "naturally leaned" into the medical community and donors "and brought them into the fold."
She said a number of Republicans have switched parties since 2016 as well.
"We have spent a lot of money. That's because we're not taking the primary for granted, we're not taking any voice or vote for granted," Cupples said, adding Martin has personally visited all of Tennessee's 95 counties, sometimes making multiple trips. "We do think we will win the primary, but we see this as an opportunity to build inroads and strengthen our campaign."
Smiley campaign manager Lynn Whitney in a Tuesday email to the Times Free Press shrugged off Smiley's depleted campaign war chest.
"Councilman Smiley has been here before," Whitney said. "Our team continues to raise money every day, and fundraising has picked up recently. He clearly has the momentum and is the hardest working candidate in this race."
She added that Smiley "has the experience and has been getting people all across the state excited to vote. People are fed up and are ready to see someone that isn't afraid to talk about the issues. He is that candidate and is ready to become the Democratic nominee. With the support of the people ... we are confident that we will win."
Efforts to reach Atwater by email were unsuccessful.
Local donors to Martin include retired businessman Olan Mills II, the long-time head of the former Chattanooga-based Olan Mills Inc. portraiture company. Mills contributed $4,300 to Martin last year while his wife, Norma Mills, gave $2,300. Robert Mills with Pantheon Management contributed $1,000 this year, as did Bryan Patten, chairman and CEO of Patten and Patten Inc.
Smiley donors include Chris Anderson, a former Chattanooga councilman, who gave $100, as did Margaret Hill of Chattanooga. Olan Mills II contributed $1,000, while Robert Mills contributed $1,500.
The incumbent governor's top donor during the latest reporting period was a political action committee belonging to Barge Design Solutions LLC, which lists a Nashville address. His second largest donor? Former President Donald Trump's Save America PAC, which gave $5,000 to Lee's effort.
His third largest donor in the second quarter was Coca-Cola Consolidated Chairman J. Frank Harrison III, a Chattanooga native who now lives in Charlotte, N.C., who gave $4,300 to Lee's campaign.
Contact Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com or 615-255-0550. Follow him on Twitter @AndySher1.