Turner reports campaign war chest of $19,000

[Freddie Stubbs]

Tuesday, April 27, 2004

MARY ORNDORFF

News Washington correspondent

WASHINGTON -Albert Turner Jr., the Democrat challenging freshman Rep. Artur Davis, is reporting a campaign account of about $19,000, a mix of mostly personal contributions and loans.

Turner, a Perry County commissioner, raised $13,840 in March, his first month as a congressional candidate, according to a report filed with the Federal Election Commission. The amount includes contributions from three individuals as well as $3,140 in personal donations by Turner and $4,500 in small contributions that do not have to be listed individually. He also loaned himself $12,500 and spent $7,200.

Davis, D-Birmingham, showed a traditional incumbent's advantage with $409,000 in his campaign account as of March 31. He is running for a second term and faces Turner in the June 1 Democratic primary. Davis' financial report was filed electronically at the FEC and was available for public inspection earlier than Turner's, which was mailed in.

One of the three individual donors listed on Turner's report is Northport developer Stan Pate, a wealthy businessman with a history of political activism. He's been a major contributor to Republicans in recent years, including President Bush and former Gov. Fob James, and he helped finance the opposition to Gov. Bob Riley's tax reform plan.

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