State Sen. Trip Pittman raised nearly $250,000 in the second quarter, putting him in the “top tier” of candidates in Alabama’s special election for the Senate seat currently held by Luther Strange.
Pittman’s take included a personal loan of $50,000, reports AL.com, and shows he was “among the race’s thriftiest spenders up to the end of June, spending a little more than $30,000 on his campaign.”
Former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore and Huntsville Republican Congressman Mo Brooks each posted $300,000 in donations, while Strange raised $1.8 million in the second quarter.
Roll Call reported recently on internal polling that puts Moore in the lead with 27 percent, Strange at 23 percent and Brooks at 21 percent.
In a campaign statement, Pittman noted there was only a single donation from a PAC: The University of South Alabama.
“The people of Alabama need someone with integrity,” said Pittman, who represents Montrose. “I am running to shake up Washington, not to be part of the problem. Alabama needs to select their next senator, not the Washington money crowd or a disgraced former governor. I am 100 percent committed to this race, and have no interest in any other elected office.”
While Pittman touts a lack of PAC money in contributions to his Senate campaign, AL.com notes there were a significant number of lobbyists: Joseph Fine and Robert Geddie, of the Fine Geddie lobbying firm; Dax Swatek and Tim Howe, of the lobbying firm Swatek, Howe & Ross; Tom Coker, president of the lobbying firm Tom Coker & Associates and Michael Sullivan, owner of The Lobbyist Group.
If one person does not reach 50 percent plus one in the Aug. 15 GOP primary, the top two vote-getters will face a runoff Sept. 26; the general election is Dec. 12.
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