ATLANTA (AP) — Leading Democratic candidates for Georgia governor in 2026 have each reported raising $1.1 million in early fundraising efforts. State Sen. Jason Esteves revealed on Tuesday that his campaign had garnered over $1.1 million, while former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced a similar total on Wednesday. Bottoms disclosed that she contributed $200,000 as a loan to her campaign and received $900,000 in donations, whereas Esteves mentioned a smaller personal donation with the majority coming from supporters. The fundraising period spanned from Feb. 1 to June 30, and as of Thursday, neither campaign had submitted an official report to the state Ethics Commission, with the deadline being next week.
The amounts raised by the Democratic candidates fall below the $2.2 million raised by Attorney General Chris Carr, the sole major Republican candidate who has declared candidacy thus far. Nonetheless, the Democratic fundraising figures exceed previous early campaign contributions in recent election cycles. For instance, Stacey Abrams did not formally declare her candidacy for governor until December 2021, yet managed to outpace Republican Brian Kemp in fundraising despite ultimately losing to the incumbent in 2022. Prior to the 2018 election, Abrams had collected $480,000 by this point in 2017, while fellow Democrat Stacey Evans had amassed $400,000. Similarly, in the 2022 election, Democrat Jason Carter did not announce his unsuccessful 2014 bid until November 2013.
Since Roy Barnes’s gubernatorial victory in 1998, no Democrat has won the governor’s race in Georgia. Bottoms reported having nearly 7,100 donors and her campaign manager, Ned Miller, emphasized her high name recognition and popularity as key strengths for the 2026 election. Esteves, though less widely known statewide, has garnered endorsements from various groups including labor unions, state legislators, Atlanta City Council members, and Atlanta school board members. Esteves, a former Atlanta school board member, highlighted that 85% of his donations originated from within Georgia.
Campaign finance reports from other Democratic gubernatorial candidates are still pending, with State Rep. Derrick Jackson yet to file a report as of Thursday. Atlanta pastor Olu Brown reported raising nearly $19,000 and having $16,000 in funds available.
