Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey appears to be benefiting from the power of incumbency in fundraising in her quest to win election to the governor’s office for the first time.

Campaign finance reports filed Tuesday show that Ivey has raised nearly $3.2 million. That’s over $1 million more than any other candidate in the June Republican primary.
Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle raised a total of $1.8 million. He is followed by state Sen. Bill Hightower with $860,847 and preacher Scott Dawson has raised $731,782.

Ivey became governor last year after Gov. Robert Bentley resigned. She faces a number of challengers.

On the Democratic side, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox has a slight fundraising edge over former Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb.

Maddox has raised a total of $554,857. Cobb has raised $517,380.

(Associated Press, copyright 2018)