In the open race to succeed Earl “Buddy” Carter as Coastal Georgia’s representative in U.S. Congress, Jim Kingston leads all candidates in fundraising in the run-up to next month’s party primaries.
According to figures released by the Federal Election Commission this week, Kingston, son of longtime U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, reported $1.29 million in cash on hand as of March 31 and contributions totaling $1.81 million since his fundraising committee was registered in June 2025.
That is a sizeable fundraising advantage over the five other Republicans vying for their party’s nomination in the May 19 primaries: Patrick Farrell reported $410,072 cash on hand as of March 31; Eugene Yu, $80,498; Brian Montgomery, $45,445; Kandiss Taylor, $21,428; and Krista Penn, $8,453.
It also represents a huge edge over the eight Democrats vying for their party’s nod to face the Republican candidate in the Nov. 3 general election.
As of March 31, Michael McCord reported $54,786 in cash on hand, followed by Pat Wilver ($9,020), Amanda Hollowell ($7,503), Randy Zurcher ($3,454), Joyce Griggs ($1,917), Sharon Stokes Williamson ($1,044) and Joey Palimeno ($4.11). There was no data for Camden County’s Defonsio Daniels.
The Kingston campaign has made no secret of the candidate’s large campaign war chest. Hoping to draw financial support away from his opponents, create an air of inevitability about the outcome of the GOP primary and avoid a primary run-off in June — the top vote-getter must clear the 50% threshold to do so — it has touted the candidate’s fundraising success since a campaign kick-off reception in Savannah last June.
The latest campaign fundraising numbers were the latest good news for the Kingston campaign, following Tuesday’s endorsement from President Donald Trump and last week’s visit to Savannah by GOP House leader Jim Jordan, whostumped for Kingston at a rally on Whitemarsh Island.
‘Stockpiling cash’
Having opted to run for the U.S. Senate instead of reelection in the 1st Congressional District, Carter, of St. Simons, is embroiled in a three-way race for the Republican nomination to face incumbent Democrat Jon Ossoff in November.
As the race enters the stretch run for the primaries, the latest FEC figures show him with $3.7 million in cash on hand as of March 31, followed by Derek Dooley, Gov. Brian Kemp’s anointed candidate, with $2.2 million and U.S. Rep. Mike Collins with $2.1 million.
Carter’s total of $6.7 million in contributions, includes $3 million he has loaned his own campaign, his FEC submission indicates.
Ossoff, running unopposed for his party’s nomination, led all candidates with a whopping $31.7 million cash on hand.
Saying “a messy GOP primary still reigns as the incumbent continues to stockpile cash,” the Cook Political Report this week shifted Georgia’s marquee midterm race from the “toss-up column” to “lean Democrat.”
This article appears in 2026 Elections: Candidate lists, news.
