Candidates running to become Maryland’s next governor raised millions from donors over the past six months.
Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Wes Moore raised $1.9 million from donors and had $1.7 million left in the bank to spend, campaign finance records filed on Tuesday night shows.
Moore is a U.S. Army veteran, book author and former CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation, an anti-poverty nonprofit.
The political action committee for the Maryland State Education Association chipped in $6,000 towards the Moore campaign.
Democrat Peter Franchot raised $361,532 from donors over the past six months and previously garnered $1.6 million through early January. Franchot had $355,104 cash on hand.
Franchot is also a U.S. Army veteran, attorney, former longtime state Delegate and serves as Maryland's Comptroller.
Major donors for the Franchot campaign included many businesses and their top executives including Costello Construction of Maryland which donated $6,000 in addition to another $6,000 from company president David Costello.
Democrat Tom Perez raised $767,706 from donors and had $375,359 cash on hand. Perez is a civil rights attorney who worked in former President Barack Obama’s administration and is a former council president for Montgomery County.
The SEIU Local 500, which stands for the Service Employees International Union, donated $6,000 to the Perez campaign.
Democrat John King raised $620,639 from donors and had $278,064 cash on hand. King is a former teacher and principal who served as then-president Obama’s U.S. Secretary of Education and runs The Education Trust, a national nonprofit to improve the educational system.
The Hattie Strong Foundation, a scholarship program for college students, donated $6,000 to the King campaign.
Democrat Doug Gansler raised $291,676 from donors in addition to a $800,000 personal loan and had $1,067,019 cash on hand. Gansler previously worked as Maryland’s Attorney General and was once Montgomery County State’s attorney.
Christopher Nassetta, the CEO of the Hilton hotel chain, donated $6,000 to Gansler’s campaign.
Democrat Jon Baron raised $200,030 from donors in addition to a $1.7 million personal loan with $1.6 million cash on hand. Baron has worked for the federal government over the years in roles such as managing the Defense Department’s Small Business Innovation Research program and is the founder of the nonprofit Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy.
Republican Kelly Schulz raised $826,753 from donors and had $717,962 cash on hand. Schulz worked in Gov. Larry Hogan’s administration as Secretary of Commerce, served as a Delegate representing Frederick County and was managing partner for Cyber Wolf Technologies, a defense contractor.
Annapolis-based Koch Development Group, a commercial real estate company, donated $6,000 to the Schulz campaign.
Republican Dan Cox, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, raised $111,091 from donors and had $155,094 cash on hand. Cox is civil litigation attorney by trade and has served as a state Delegate for Frederick and Carroll Counties.
The Bedrock Investment Group in California, which buys properties in foreclosure to flip, donated $6,000 to the Cox campaign.
Voters by mail are getting ballots this week for the primary election on July 19.
