Money is pouring into Republican campaigns for Alabama’s 1st Congressional District and the U.S. Senate, according to third-quarter federal filings reviewed by a Mobile-based political strategist.
Four Republicans are vying for the Lower Alabama congressional seat being vacated by Bradley Byrne, who is running for the U.S. Senate. Among them, former state Sen. Bill Hightower led third-quarter fundraising with $173,000, lifting his cycle total to $560,000.
Mobile County Commissioner Jerry Carl raised $156,000 in the quarter for an overall total of $857,000, including a $405,000 personal loan. State Rep. Chris Pringle brought in $92,000 for a $308,000 total, while Baldwin County’s Wes Lambert raised $15,000 for $173,000 overall.
Carl led the field in cash on hand at the end of September with $741,000, ahead of Hightower’s $448,000, Pringle’s $215,000 and Lambert’s $110,000.
In the Senate race, Byrne held a large cash lead with $2.5 million on hand, though third-quarter totals were fairly even among the front-runners: Byrne took in $408,000, former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville $373,000 and Secretary of State John Merrill $372,500. State Rep. Arnold Mooney raised $242,700, while former Chief Justice Roy Moore collected $63,000.
The strategist, Jon Gray, predicted runoffs in both races after the March 3 primary, noting the sums already raised make late entries unlikely.