Georgia GOP Senate candidates running neck and neck in fundraising

Georgia GOP Senate candidates Rep. Jack Kingston and David Perdue are running neck and neck in fundraising ahead of their primary runoff.

Kingston has raked in $1.6 million in the pre-runoff period, and Perdue isn’t far behind, raising $1.5 million — but with half a million of that from his own pockets.

{mosads}Aside from the half-million personal loan, Perdue raised $974,000 in contributions from May 1 through July 2.

With just two and a half weeks left in their runoff contest, Kingston had $1.16 million cash on hand, while Perdue had $783,000. That’s despite Kingston spending more than Purdue during the pre-runoff period — $1.74 million to the businessman’s $1.15 million spent.

Kingston has emerged as a cautious front-runner in the race, boasting the endorsements of a handful of influential Georgia Republicans, including former Speaker Newt Gingrich and conservative commentator Erick Erickson. 

He’s led in most surveys of the field, but a new poll indicates Perdue may be gaining ground. 

That poll, conducted by InsiderAdvantage and OpinionSavvy via phone and online surveys, gives Kingston just a 1-point lead over Perdue. The survey gives Kingston 42 percent support to Perdue’s 41 percent among likely voters and early voters, with 17 percent undecided. 

This survey is in line with a recent Perdue internal poll that showed the businessman leading Kingston by 45 percent to 44 percent. Prior to Perdue’s poll, several public surveys and an internal one from Kingston’s campaign had found the congressman ahead in the race. 

The InsiderAdvantage poll of 1,278 likely and early voters was conducted via phone and online from July 7 to 9 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percent.