Some challengers adept at raising campaign cash

The Sun Herald, 6/9/7

Some challengers for statewide and district elections have outraised incumbents by surprising amounts, campaign-finance reports filed Friday show.

Gary Anderson, running against longtime incumbent Insurance Commissioner George Dale, raised more money in May than Dale has raised all year.

In the hotly contested lieutenant governor race, State Auditor Phil Bryant has raised $544,000 for the year, compared with $490,000 for state Sen. Charlie Ross. But Ross has $1 million in the bank; Bryant has $758,000. Ross and Bryant square off in the Aug. 6 Republican primary. The winner will face Democratic state Rep. Jamie Franks, who has more than $600,000 on hand thanks in large part to self funding.