Gov. Kay Ivey raised almost a half million dollars during April and maintains a big financial advantage over her opponents as the campaign for the Republican gubernatorial nomination enters its final month.

In the race for the Democratic nomination for governor, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox led in fund-raising during April and in the amount of cash in his account.

The parties will hold primary elections June 5 to select their nominees.

Republicans

Ivey, in a monthly report filed Wednesday with the Secretary of State’s office, listed contributions of $478,503 last month, leaving her with a cash balance of $1.78 million. She has taken in contributions of $3.69 million since the campaign began last summer.

Her leading opponent, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, raised $253,716, bringing his total for the campaign to $2.08 million. His campaign has a balance of $1.1 million.

Ivey’s biggest donor for the campaign is Jimmy Rane of Abbeville, owner of Great Southern Wood Preserving, who has donated $200,000 to the governor’s effort. Louis W. Breland of Huntsville has contributed $100,000 and the Beasley Allen law firm of Montgomery has given $85,000.

The top contributors to the Battle campaign were mostly from the Tennessee Valley area, led by Huntsville-based Moving Alabama Forward PAC with $113,000 and Dorothy S. Davidson of Huntsville with $52,000.

The two other Republican candidates are evangelist Scott Dawson and state Sen. Bill Hightower. Dawson reported raising $71,506 in April, bringing his total for the campaign to $803,308. Hightower’s report showed $105,146 in contributions last month, raising his overall total to $966,353.

Democrats

Among Democrats, Sue Bell Cobb has raised $617,904 so far, including $100,524 during April. Cobb’s largest donor to date is Montgomery-based Franklin PAC, which has given $125,000 since last August. The PAC’s biggest sources of money were the law firms of Beasley Wilson in Montgomery and Cunningham Bounds in Mobile, along with Tuscaloosa businessman Luther S. “Stan” Pate IV and Greenetrack.

Maddox reported raising $136,443 in April. A group of PACs chaired by Michael Echols of Tuscaloosa is by far the largest source of money for the Maddox campaign. Six PACs operated by Echols have given a total of $221,050 to the Tuscaloosa mayor’s effort. Among those contributing to two or more of those PACs were Extreme Development, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, Beasley Wilson law, Cunningham Bounds LLC law and Tom Coker & Associates.

Four other Democrats have reported total contributions of these amounts: Christopher Countryman, $1,145; James Fields, $18,768, Doug “New Blue” Smith, $4,910; Anthony White, $2,000.