AUSTIN, Texas – East Texas congressman Louie Gohmert pledged last fall to jump into the crowded GOP contest for attorney general only if he could raise $1 million in 10 days.
By late November, a smiling Gohmert declared he had reached the goal and would officially run.
But a new campaign finance report paints a different picture. The Republican didn’t hit the seven-figure target until weeks after his self-imposed deadline and only then, thanks to a flurry of big-dollar donations that arrived just before the reporting cutoff of New Year’s Eve.
In a statement on Thursday, Gohmert said his campaign reached the goal after spending the first 10 days “getting both contributions and commitments.”
“Getting all of the money in house took more time,” he said, “but we got it just as we were promised and just as we promised.”
The campaign finance reports, due this week, highlight the stiff competition in raising money ahead of what many see as the marquee race of Texas primary season. Gohmert and two other high-profile Republicans are vying to oust embattled Ken Paxton, who is seeking his third term as the state’s top lawyer.
The GOP challengers contend Paxton’s legal troubles, which include an FBI investigation over corruption allegations and a 6-year-old fraud indictment, make him a liability and put the powerful statewide seat at risk of Democratic takeover.
Paxton has denied wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty in the fraud case. On the campaign trail, Paxton is emphasizing an endorsement from former President Donald Trump, who remains popular with conservative voters in Texas.
The primary is March 1. Here are highlights from the campaign finance reports, which were due this week and cover fundraising for the second half of 2021:
— Former state Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman posted the highest total, raising nearly $3.7 million since last July. Texans for Lawsuit Reform, a well-funded group that seeks to curb civil lawsuits against businesses, is Guzman’s biggest backer, the filing showed. The powerful PAC had supported Paxton in his past runs for attorney general.
— Paxton reported hauling in nearly $2.8 million, but details were not available for most of the donors, including who forked over cash at a fundraiser last month that was held at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida and cost at least $1,000 for entry. Paxton’s campaign said it ran into technical issues and would file an updated report once the problems are resolved.
— Land Commissioner George P. Bush raised just under $2 million. In a state with no limits on campaign contributions, Bush’s biggest check was $50,000 below what his Republican competition received from their top donors. But Bush’s campaign pointed out that it raised money from over 1,000 donors, far more than Guzman or Gohmert.
— Gohmert brought in most of his money from two members of the Texas House Freedom Caucus, who together chipped in $550,000. Rep. Matt Krause, a Fort Worth Republican who announced plans to challenge Paxton before opting instead to run for Tarrant County district attorney, gave Gohmert $250,000 from his campaign account.
Rep. Mayes Middleton – a Wallisville Republican who is running for Texas Senate with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s backing – contributed $300,000. Neither returned a request for comment. On Dec. 31, the last day of the reporting period, Gohmert received $350,000 from several donors to reach the $1 million goal he had set.
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