2018 Election

Parker’s Fundraising Picks up, but Vance Still Leads in Contributions for the Chief Justice Race

Republican Tom Parker raised more than twice as much as Democrat Robert Vance last week in their race for Alabama chief justice, according to reports filed Monday with the Secretary of State’s Office.

But Parker, a member of the state Supreme Court who is seeking elevation to chief justice, still trailed Vance, a Jefferson County Circuit Court judge, overall for the campaign in both fundraising and spending.

Parker listed itemized cash contributions of $121,150 and expenditures of $62,924 for the period of Oct. 13 to Oct. 19. Since the campaign began last year, he has raised $714,077 and spent $563,562, leaving a cash balance of $177,147.

The GOP nominee’s biggest donor for the latest reporting period was First Decade PAC of Montgomery at $15,000. For the entire campaign, his top donor is Progress for Justice PAC, a Montgomery-based committee made up mostly of law firms, at $500,000.

Vance reported itemized cash contributions of $43,006 and expenditures of $66,628 from Oct. 13 to Oct. 19. He has raised $1.01 million and spent $897,656 since the election cycle began last year. He has an account balance of $132,920.

The Democrat’s largest donors for the latest reporting period were Katherine J. Nielsen of Birmingham and Marie McKellar of Dobbs Ferry, New York, with $2,500 each. Overall his biggest contributor has been Warren Lazarow, a lawyer from Hillsborough, California, at $15,000.

Parker and Vance meet in the Nov. 6 general election.