NASHVILLE - Republican Bill Haslam's third quarter spending hit $5.35 million as the GOP gubernatorial nominee turned his attention to Democrat Mike McWherter in the Nov. 2 general election, disclosures show.
About half the $3.159 million Haslam raised went into television advertising and production for both the primary and general election, according to disclosures filed Tuesday with the state Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance.
He also loaned his campaign another $2.8 million and had $1.745 million in cash on hand as of Sept. 30.
He previously had injected $1.45 million in personal funds into the contest.
McWherter, meanwhile, reported raising just $275,214 in the third quarter. He spent $685,538, which left him $861,492 as the final days of the campaign began.
Haslam, who had a nearly 2-to-1 lead in the latest public opinion poll and continues to raise funds, voiced confidence during a campaign swing through Hamilton County as early voting began Wednesday.
"This is day 650 of this campaign and we're going to stay strong for 20 more days," Haslam, who is Knoxville's mayor, told campaign volunteers during a visit in East Ridge. "I'm honored to be running for governor of all of the people of Tennessee and we are on the edge of making that happen."
Earlier this week, McWherter, who has put $1 million into his effort, didn't rule out putting in more personal funds if he needed to do so.
"I feel like in the end we're going to be very competitive because we're going to have our media message up. We'll have adequate funding to do that. And you know, frankly, as much money as he [Haslam] has spent at this point in time, he may be very close to peaking and when you peak you have no place to go but down."
Haslam won the GOP's Aug. 5 primary with 47 percent of the vote compared to 29 percent for U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., and 22 percent for Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, R-Blountville. McWherter had no opponent.
Staff writer Dave Flessner contributed to this report.
E-mail Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com or at 615-255-0550.