Millions raised, spent in battle for Republican Congressional nomination

By Lance Griffin

Published: July 18, 2008

The battle to determine the Republican nominee for the 2nd Congressional District proved to be the most costly primary race anyone here can remember.

The six Republican candidates raised more than $3 million in their bid to earn the nomination, with the big four of Jay Love, Harri Anne Smith, Craig Schmidtke and David Woods, spending more than $2 million of their own money.

Love won the nomination Tuesday, defeating Smith in the runoff election. He will face Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright in the November general election. Campaign finance records show Love raised more than $1 million in the primary effort, including $650,000 in personal loans and/or contributions. Smith raised $889,000, with $392,000 coming from personal money.

Current Congressman Terry Everett, R-Rehobeth, has not faced serious opposition since winning office in 1992. Federal Election Commission campaign finance records date back to 1996 on the commission’s Web site, and records show no primary race in the 2nd Congressional District came close to raising the amount spent during this year’s GOP race. Everett is believed to have raised and spent a significant amount during the 1992 campaign, but the total amount raised in the primary is believed to fall far short of this year’s amount.

The only other Congressional race with significant spending during the primary season was District 5 in north Alabama, where the six candidates for the Republican nomination combined to raise $1.497 million, lest than half the amount raised in the 2nd District.

Bright, the Democratic nominee, has raised just more than $400,000. Only $100 is listed as a personal contribution.

Below is the total amount of money raised by the candidates during the primary season for the Republican nomination of the 2nd Congressional District.

—Campaign Finance Records