(The Center Square) – Democratic governor hopeful Josh Stein entered 2024 with a $7 million campaign finance advantage over the Republican favorite.
According to campaign finance reports closed on Dec. 31, the state attorney general had $11.5 million in the bank to $4.2 million for Republican Mark Robinson. The latter is the state’s lieutenant governor and a polling favorite thus far in the bid to succeed Gov. Roy Cooper.
Stein and Robinson are far ahead of other major candidates. Republican Bill Graham has $2.5 million mostly from loans and Republican state Treasurer Dale Folwell was at $111,913. On the Democrats’ side, former state Supreme Court Justice Mike Morgan reported $119,296.
In all but one major poll, the polling site FiveThirtyEight has Robinson ahead of Stein.
Super Tuesday primaries are March 5.
Both leading gubernatorial campaigns say they have achieved record success.
Robinson said the $9.9 million raised in 2023, cash on hand, and more than 31,000 individual contributions are all records for Republican gubernatorial candidates that signal “a strong position to take back our state and get North Carolina back on track in 2024.”
Stein has raised a total of $16.9 million. In the last six months, Stein held an edge of $5.7 million to Robinson’s $3.4 million.
The attorney general race is similar.
Democratic Congressman Jeff Jackson led Republican Congressman Dan Bishop with $2 million raised to Bishop’s $1.35 million. Jackson ended the year with $1.83 million in the bank, while Bishop reported $1.28 million cash on hand.
Two other Democratic candidates in the race were not even close, with Santana Deberry at $43,821 raised in the second half of 2023, and $6,920 in receipts for Tim Dunn.
In the race for treasurer, Democratic state Rep. Wesley Harris raised $147,292, dwarfing all others competing to succeed Folwell. Republican Brad Briner, a money manager for billionaire Michael Bloomberg, followed with $27,650 in contributions, while Republican A.J. Daoud collected $3,200, and Republican Rachel Johnson $1,683.
With a $500,000 loan, Briner led Harris with cash on hand, $533,396 to $160,651. Harris raised a total of $330,871 in contributions this election cycle.
Republican Dave Boliek leads the fundraising race for state auditor with $154,608, well ahead of fellow Republicans Jack Clark ($14,352), state Rep. Charles Dingee ($11,975) and Jim Kee ($1,908). Democratic State Auditor Jessica Holmes, appointed by Cooper in November, reported $6,666 in contributions during the reporting period.
Boliek also leads in total contributions this cycle at $447,108, and cash on hand at $395,581, followed by Dingee with $73,482 and $39,367, respectively. Holmes raised a total of $12,434 and reported $21,483 in the bank.
Republican Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt reported $67,647 raised in her reelection bid during the last half of 2023, compared to $4,369 raised by Republican challenger Michele Morrow, and $112,396 collected by Democrat Mo Green.
Truitt’s total receipts through Dec. 31 stood at $280,102, while Green reported $227,321, and Morrow $7,840. Truitt also led cash on hand at $208,267 to Green’s $197,698, while Morrow had $4,061 in the bank at the end of the year.
