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Here’s how much money candidates for the 7th District have raised so far
Carolyn Bourdeaux 1 021019
Carolyn Bourdeaux, a professor at Georgia State University, catapulted to statewide recognition in 2018 when she came less than 500 votes from defeating incumbent U.S. Rep. Rob Woodall for Georgia's 7th congressional district. Woodall announced that he won't seek re-election in 2020, and Bourdeaux has already announced she'll run again in a race that should gain national attention. - photo by Kelly Whitmire

Carolyn Bourdeaux, the Democratic challenger who pushed U.S. Rep. Rob Woodall to the brink for Georgia’s 7th Congressional District seat in 2018 and is vying for it a second time, has raised more than $350,000 in the first quarter of fundraising, her campaign announced on Wednesday.

The sum came from more than 1,000 individual contributions, according to Bourdeaux’s campaign, including donors from every zip code in the district since she announced in early February that she would run for the seat again in 2020. None of Bourdeaux’s total includes money from corporate PACs, her campaign said.

Bourdeaux outpaced primary challenger Nabilah Islam, who raised more than $100,000 from more than 500 individual contributions since announcing her campaign in late February, according to her campaign.

Nabilah Islam 1 022219
Democrat Nabilah Islam, of Lawrenceville, announced on Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019, she would run for Georgia's 7th congressional seat in 2020.

Fellow Democratic candidate Marqus Cole hadn’t disclosed his first-quarter fundraising figures as of Wednesday. Candidates are required to file first-quarter fundraising reports to the Federal Election Commission by April 15.

“I’m incredibly grateful to our supporters who have put us in a strong position as we kick off this campaign,” Bourdeaux said in a press release. “Together, we’re sending a strong message that we are tired of partisan divisions and gridlock holding us back, and we’re ready to forge a new path forward to get things done for our communities. We have a long way to go, but is the start of a movement to find the job.”

The race figures to attract national attention in 2020 after Bourdeaux’s near-miss attempt last November. In her first run for office, the Georgia State University professor came 419 votes shy of defeating Woodall, who has held the seat since 2011. The razor-thin margin allowed Bourdeaux to seek a recount under Georgia law, which she eventually lost.

To Democrats, it was a sign that the traditionally-conservative district formed by the majority of Forsyth and Gwinnett counties is part of a recent demographic shift observed in other metro Atlanta suburbs. They hope to follow the 6th District, another longtime Republican stronghold that saw political newcomer Lucy MacBath defeat incumbent Karen Handel in 2018 as part of the Democratic takeover of the House of Representatives.

Democrats are eager for the 2020 rematch, particularly after Woodall announced on Feb. 7 that he would not seek re-election. Within minutes, Bourdeaux she would run again.

Cole, a lawyer from Snellville, had already announced that he would run by then. Islam, a Democratic activist from Lawrenceville, followed on Feb. 20. 

No Republicans have entered the field.