David Williams Reports Raising $450,000 This Quarter, Pushing His Total So Far To $1.2 Million.

David Williams reports raising $450,000
Written by Joseph Gerth

Senate President David Williams’ Republican gubernatorial campaign reported Wednesday that it raised nearly $450,000 during the first quarter of 2011, pushing his total for this year’s election to about $1.2 million.

The amount raised by Williams and his lieutenant governor running mate, Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer, falls well short of the $1.2 million that Gov. Steve Beshear reported in the first quarter of the year and the $4.8 million he has reported raising overall.

Beshear, who is unopposed in the Democratic primary, reported having $3.3 million on hand, while Williams reported just under $670,000 in the bank.

But Williams’ campaign noted that the total is more than Beshear raised by this point in 2007 while on his way to ousting incumbent Gov. Ernie Fletcher in that year’s general election.

The campaign also said that fundraising for Williams, a Burkesville Republican and the front-runner in the three-slate GOP primary field, has been slowed because he didn’t raise money last year until after the November election and wasn’t able to keep a full fundraising schedule during this year’s General Assembly.

“We are grateful for the grassroots donors and volunteers who have stepped up to help this conservative ticket get Kentucky back on track,” said Donald Storm, Williams’ campaign chairman. ...

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