By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama’s race for governor is entering the fall stretch with both major-party candidates raising more than $800,000 in August, but Republican Tommy Tuberville continues to hold a substantial cash advantage over Democrat Doug Jones.
Campaign finance reports filed in early September show Tuberville raised about $829,000 during August, while Jones raised approximately $803,000, according to Alabama Daily News.
Tuberville entered September with $9.51 million in cash on hand compared with $2.53 million for Jones — a gap that could become increasingly important as campaigns purchase advertising, organize voters and travel the state ahead of the Nov. 3 election.
Their fundraising sources also differed. Alabama Daily News reported that major contributions of $20,000 or more accounted for nearly 40 percent of Tuberville’s August fundraising. Jones received only one contribution of at least $20,000, with much of his fundraising coming from smaller individual donations and several political action committees.
The candidates are also clashing over how directly they should face one another. Jones has repeatedly called for debates, while Tuberville’s campaign has argued that voters already know the candidates’ contrasting records and philosophies.
The campaign has increasingly focused on issues including data centers, utility costs, ethics and Social Security.
Tuberville, a U.S. senator and former Auburn football coach, defeated Jones in Alabama’s 2020 Senate election. Jones previously served in the Senate after winning a 2017 special election.
With fewer than two months remaining, fundraising provides only one measure of the race. Alabama voters will ultimately decide whether Republican dominance continues or Democrats can produce a statewide upset.