Hunter Hill Raises $145,000 for Senate District 6 Campaign

Hunter Hill, a former Army officer seeking the GOP nomination for the District 6 state Senate seat, raised $145,505 in contributions through Dec. 31, the campaign said.

The campaign's announcement said in its headline that he "outraises the competition" with nearly 270 indivdiual contributions. His campaign's first contribution disclosure report, formally filed with the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, showed a total of $130,240.50 in cash on hand. The Atlanta native

"I am both honored and excited about the overwhelming support my candidacy has received in such a short period of time," Hill said in a statement. "I have truly enjoyed speaking with great people throughout the district about the issues important to them and look forward to building on this momentum throughout the coming months."

Contributors listed on the report (see accompanying PDF) include some well-known Atlanta names, such as fellow Athletics Hall of Fame members Gordon Beckham Jr., CEO of McCarnish Systems, $2.500, and his son, Gordon, listed as James Beckham III, , $500.

Other names on the report are son of former Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen, $250; James Cox Kennedy, chairman of Cox Enterprises, $2,500; former Georgia Tech athletics director Homer Rice, $500; James Balkcom, lead director of the Reach Call company, $2,500; and homemaker Linda Balkcom, $2,500.

A graduate of West Point and a former football and baseball standout at Westminster, Hill served three tours in Afghanistan and Iraq as an Airborne Ranger, the campaign said. Hill received two Bronze Stars, the Meritorious Service Medal and two Army Commendation Medals, his campaign said.

for the district, which under 2011 reapportionment stretches from Smyrna through Sandy Springs into Buckhead. The winner of the GOP primary July 31 will face Democratic incumbent Doug Stoner in the general election.

After his retirement from the Army, Hill began a real estate career, and is  now director of security for SecurAmerica. He is married to the former Shannan Reese. who grew up in Brookhaven, graduated from the and is currently director of philanthropy at the Nature Conservancy in Georgia.

The Hills have a son, Hunter Bradley Hill Jr., and a newborn daughter, Annie Christine Hill. They attend the in Buckhead, where Hill grew up playing the drums in the church band.