Republican Jeff Landry flexes fundraising muscles for Louisiana governor's race stretch run

Republican Attorney General Jeff Landry is flexing his fundraising muscles in the Louisiana governor's race with more than $8 million cash on hand for the stretch run to the Oct. 14 primary election.

Landry's campaign will report it raised $3 million from July 7-Sept. 4 with $8.4 million in the bank for the post Labor Day sprint to the primary finish line.

Campaign finance reports for all candidates are due Sept. 14.

"We are humbled by the over 11,000 donors that span almost every parish of this state," Landry said in a statement to USA Today Network. "That level of commitment reassures us that this race is about them. Our state, our culture, our families and our future."

Landry's prolific fundraising has kept pace with his spending. He has been up on statewide TV for months, yet still has almost as much cash on hand as he reported in July ($9.2 million).

He's also being supported by political action committees that have raised millions more for the race.

Landry has been the frontrunner in the race to replace Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards from the start, securing the endorsement of the Louisiana Republican Party late last year. He also has the support of former President Donald Trump, who remains wildly popular among Republicans in Louisiana.

Landry has led in all independent and candidate polls that have been released publicly, but others believe they can make up ground in the final weeks of the primary campaign.

"Historically people really start paying attention after Labor Day," Republican rival Stephen Waguespack has said. "I think you'll begin to start seeing a lot of movement."

Edwards' former Louisiana Department of Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson has consolidated Democratic support and has consistently polled second in the race.

Other major candidates include: Republican state Sen. Sharon Hewitt; Independent trial attorney Hunter Lundy; Republican state Rep. Richard Nelson; Republican state Treasurer John Schroder; and Waguespack, most recently president of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry and previously chief of staff for former Gov. Bobby Jindal.

The top two finishers in the Oct. 14 primary advance to a head-to-head matchup in the Nov. 18 general election unless someone secures more than 50% of the vote in the primary election, which is considered unlikely.

More: National Republican Governors Association enters Louisiana race with major TV buy

More: John Schroder draws first blood in Louisiana governor's race TV ads, skewering Landry, Wags

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Jeff Landry reports fundraising tsunami in Louisiana governor's race