Rep. Doug McKillip, R-Athens, is prepared to outspend primary challenger Regina Quick four-to-one this month to hang on to his state House seat.
McKillip raised $96,075 from April 1 to June 30, according to a campaign finance disclosure filed with the state Sunday. All but a handful of his contributions came from lobbyists, PACs and fellow legislators, including House Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, and Speaker Pro Tempore Jan Jones, R-Alpharetta. McKillip reported spending $21,208 for the quarter. He had a whopping $115,024 on hand to blanket the district with mail and ads before the July 31 election.
Quick raised $20,527, including contributions from several local doctors upset about a law McKillip sponsored banning abortions after 20 weeks. Other donors included Athens Area Chamber of Commerce President and former Athens mayor Doc Eldridge (whose given name, by the way, is Erwin Eldridge III), University System of Georgia regent and liquor magnate Don Leeburn and former state Rep. Bob Smith, R-Watkinsville.
Democrats may be angry at McKillip for his 2010 party switch, but reports of them raising money for Quick, a Republican, were overblown. She didn't report any contributions of more than $100 from prominent Democrats. (UPDATE: Actually, as an astute reader pointed out, Oconee County Democrats David and Rebecca Lockman and Heather Kleiner gave Quick a combined $1,900 at an April 26 fundraiser.)
Quick spent $15,466 in the second quarter and had $32,979 on hand June 30.
Candidates for another Athens House seat didn't raise nearly as much. Rep. Keith Heard, D-Athens, reported just one contribution, $1,000 from a dentists' PAC. He spent $400 and had $13,098 on hand. Primary challenger Spencer Frye raised $7,055, spent $6,883 and had $19,967 on hand.
The reports are available on the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission website.
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