Graves Again Leads All Candidates in 9th District Race

Campaign enters election year in strong position

(RANGER, GA) – Candidates seeking to replace Nathan Deal in Congress yesterday released their latest fundraising numbers and reports showed State Rep. Tom Graves (R-Ranger) once again leading all ten Republican candidates in the race with $388,801 raised for the 2010 election cycle. 

Graves filed nearly $110,000 raised from individual contributors and political committees for the last quarter of 2009, while all the other candidates reported less.

No personal loans or campaign debt was disclosed by Graves.

“North Georgians are concerned about the direction Washington is taking this country,” said Graves.  “They are looking for new energy, new ideas and conservative, free market solutions to get this country back on track.  Our strong grassroots presence, coupled with my conservative, limited government beliefs, has propelled our campaign forward with great momentum.”



This is the third fundraising period that the 9th District candidates were required to report their totals. 

This report shows that after only eight months in the race Graves has built a strong campaign. 

The Graves campaign said it received contributions from 1,110 contributors from all 15 counties in the 9th Congressional District. 

The campaign has a hefty $227,933 remaining cash-on-hand.

The Federal Election Commission requires candidates for federal office to periodically file campaign finance reports and the report Graves filed today covered the period of October 1 through December 31, 2009.

Last week, Graves received national and state-wide press for the introduction of the Jobs, Opportunity, and Business Success Act of 2010, legislation designed to stimulate the state’s economy by providing tax credits, cuts and incentives to create, expand and attract new businesses in Georgia.  The JOBS Act 2010 is a continuation of Graves’ efforts in the legislature to advance conservative, free-market solutions that empower the private sector and drive Georgia’s economic recovery. 

Graves announced last May that he would seek the 9th District congressional seat left open by Congressman Nathan Deal’s decision to run for Governor.  Since then, he has taken his message of empowering the taxpayer, not government all across the 9th District, compiling an impressive list of endorsements and accomplishments: 

•    Endorsed by Radio Talk Show Host and Fox News Business Commentator Herman Cain
•    Endorsed by the Club for Growth PAC
•    Endorsed by Miss United States 2009, Erin Grizzle
•    Endorsed by Can-Do Conservatives
•    Endorsed by Conservative Author Jonathan Krohn
•    Awarded the Legislator of the Year, American Legislative Exchange Council
•    Awarded the Legislator of the Year, Georgia Retail Association
•    Awarded the Legislator of the Year, 9th District GOP Party
•    Awarded the Guardian of Small Business, NFIB
•    Named to Georgia Trend's "40 Under 40 Best and the Brightest Georgians"
•    Featured speaker at the National Taxpayer March on Washington and 9-12 Tea Party
•    Won the Union County GOP BBQ Straw Poll
•    Won the Walker County GOP Straw Poll
•    Was the first candidate to be Certified 100% Pro-Life by the Georgia Right to Life PAC
•    Led as a Pro-Life Leaders at the Virtual March for Life
•    Was one of the first candidates in the nation to sign the Repeal It! Pledge and the first candidate in Georgia’s 9th Congressional District.

Earlier this month, the Graves campaign launched Team 180, a grassroots organization of 180 committed GA-9 Freedom Fighters who will mobilize as foot soldiers to turn this country 180 degrees, starting right here in North Georgia, by electing Tom Graves to Congress in Georgia's 9th Congressional District.

Graves continues to have the largest online presence of any candidate in the congressional race, has over 400 grassroots volunteers and is organized in all 15 counties of the district.