Bill Freeman's spending surpasses $4.5M in Nashville mayor's race

Bill Freeman's campaign spending in Nashville's mayoral race has now topped $4.5 million, believed to be the most ever by a Nashville mayoral candidate ahead of the August general election.

Freeman's campaign spent $1,863,829 between July 1 and July 27, easily the most among the seven current candidates during that time, according to pre-general election financial disclosures submitted to the Davidson County Election Commission on Thursday.

The wealthy real estate executive also loaned his campaign another $995,000 this month, meaning he has now given his campaign $3,650,000 in personal resources since he entered the race in January.

Freeman also raised $158,358 from individual donors this month and has now raised the most through contributions of any candidate. In the most recent fundraising period, he beat out Megan Barry, who raised the second most from individual donors, $145,407. Excluding personal loans from candidates, other candidates raised the following from individual contributions this month:

Linda Eskind Rebrovick, $65,239

David Fox, $62,905

Charles Robert Bone, $57,732

Howard Gentry, $53,253

Jeremy Kane, $30,100

Other candidates, in addition to Freeman, gave their campaigns personal loans this reporting period. Bone pumped another $365,000 into his campaign, meaning he's now contributed $1.29 million in personal money to his campaign. Fox gave his campaign another $165,000, bringing his self-funding up to $1.57 million. And Rebrovick loaned her campaign another $50,000, meaning she's now loaned her campaign $1.3 million.

Not represented in those figures, Fox has also gotten a boost from a Texas-based Super PAC, which reported raising $500,000 for Nashville's mayor's race — dollars that come entirely from hedge-fund operator brother George Fox, who lives in Connecticut. Alexandria, Va.-based American Future Fund, a separate conservative Super PAC, has spent $150,100 to help Kane with TV advertising.

The bulk of Freeman's spending has gone toward campaign advertising, particularly on television. Earlier this month, he passed the $2 million mark on television spending. Bone has spent more than $1 million on television, followed by Rebrovick and Fox, who are approaching $1 million.

The Metro general election is Thursday. Including the two Super PACs, there has now been $13 million in overall campaign spending in Nashville's mayoral race.

According to pre-general election, Barry's campaign spent $291,824 between July 1 and July 27 and has now spent $1,102,921 overall. She reported having $128,148 still to spend.

The Rebrovick campaign spent $308,304 over the last reporting period and has now spent $1,944,143 to date. Her campaign reported having $111,402 still to spend.

Fox, who has kept up with Freeman's television advertising pace in recent weeks, spent $622,194 this month and has spent $1,914,265 overall in the race. His campaign reported having $128,366 on hand left to spend.

The Bone campaign spent $555,483 during that time and now has spent $2,297,703 overall. His campaign has $124,446 still left on hand to spend. The Kane campaign spent $219,980 this month and has now spent $505,125 overall. His campaign has $56,876 still on hand to spend.

Gentry's campaign spent $110,275 during this reporting period and has now spent $181,666 overall. Gentry has $82,293 still on hand to spend

Reach Joey Garrison at 615-259-8236 and on Twitter @joeygarrison.

Dollars spent in Nashville's mayoral race by campaign, through July 27:

Bill Freeman, $4,593,523

Charles Robert Bone, $2,297,703

Linda Eskind Rebrovick, $1,944,143

David Fox, $1,914,265

Megan Barry, $1,102,921

Jeremy Kane, $505,125

Howard Gentry, $181,666

Personal loans of candidates, through July 27:

Bill Freeman, $3,625,000

David Fox, $1,565,000

Linda Eskind Rebrovick,$1,300,000

Charles Robert Bone, $1,292,500

Megan Barry, $200,000

Jeremy Kane, $0

Howard Gentry, $0

Total dollars raised by individual donors: