Phil Bryant spends $6.3 million in Miss. governor’s race

Phil Bryant spends $6.3 million in Miss. governor’s race

Gov. Phil Bryant spent $6.32 million to win Mississippi’s top office, more than five times as much as was spent by his Democratic opponent, Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny DuPree.

Reports filed this week show Bryant raised $4.6 million in 2011, but spent more, thanks to the former lieutenant governor and auditor starting the year with a healthy balance. Bryant had $324,000 left over at year’s end, seed corn for a possible re-election bid in 2015.

Bryant’s total outstripped the $1.2 million DuPree raised and spent in 2011. DuPree was the first black person to win the Democratic nomination for governor, but drew only 39 percent of the vote, compared to Bryant’s 61 percent.

AP
1/13/12