The two announced candidates for an open seat on the Georgia Supreme Court in 2020 have already raised more than half a million dollars combined.

Former U.S. Rep. John Barrow, D-Georgia, and Georgia Court of Appeals Presiding Judge Sara Doyle are seeking to win the seat that Justice Robert Benham will leave when he retires at the end of 2020. In the first reporting period that ended June 30, Barrow reported $304,100 raised, and Doyle reported $223,470.

A walk through their reports shows Barrow has more big donors and Doyle has more total contributors thus far.

Barrow had 17 contributors who gave the limit—$7,000. Doyle had five of those.

Barrow had five who gave $5,000. Doyle had two.

Doyle had 34 contributors who gave the smallest amount required to be reported—$101. Barrow had none of those.

His total number of monetary contributions was 150. Hers was 318.

It's hard to put their fundraising in context, since an open seat contest for the high court is so rare. Justice Carol Hunstein retired last year and left her seat open in the 2019 election, but then-Court of Appeals Judge John Ellington ran for it unopposed. Ellington reported $487,548 in contributions.

Barrow's supporters include some big names in Georgia politics: former Gov. Roy Barnes of Barnes Law Group, former congressman Buddy Darden of Pope McGlamry, former Attorney General Mike Bowers of Balch & Bingham.

Doyle's supporters include some well-known trial and appellate lawyers in the state: Marietta plaintiffs' attorney Lance Cooper—who gave $7,000, as did his wife and his law firm—plus Malone Law Office, the firm of Tommy and Adam Malone.

Both candidates said they were encouraged by their numbers so far, and their broad support.

“I'm pleased,” Barrow said Monday. “I've doubled the amount I raised in the same period for secretary of state and for Congress in 2004.”

Barrow won that Congressional race in 2004. In 2019, he became the Democratic runner up to now Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. A University of Georgia graduate and a Harvard law J.D., and a member of the State Bar of Georgia since 1979, Barrow said he would bring a depth of experience to the court.

Doyle has served on the Court of Appeals for 10 years and before that practiced with Holland & Knight. She earned a business degree at the University of Florida and a J.D. at Mercer University law school.

Doyle said Friday the total for the first reporting period far exceeded her expectations.

“I was very humbled by it,” Doyle said. “I was blown away, frankly.”