Loeffler will cut huge check for Georgia special election

Soon-to-be Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler plans to spend $20 million of her own money on her 2020 Senate campaign in Georgia — a massive sum that could give potential rivals pause about trying to unseat her.

Loeffler, a wealthy financial executive and co-owner of Atlanta’s WNBA team, was tapped Wednesday morning to replace Sen. Johnny Isakson, who is resigning later this month due to health problems, on an interim basis. She has told advisers in recent days of her intentions to tap her vast fortune to win next year's special election to complete Isakson's term, according to a person with direct knowledge of the decision.

Loeffler will not solely rely on self-financing, however. Those close to her say she also intends to raise money from donors.

Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) has said he would consider a Senate bid in the event Gov. Brian Kemp passed him over for the appointment. But Loeffer’s personal investment could factor significantly into his decision — as well as those of Democrats considering challenging her.

Loeffler’s $20 million injection also takes financial pressure off the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which is supporting her. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) said Tuesday that Loeffler would have the full backing of the party infrastructure, and he expected her to enjoy “total support from the Republican conference.”

Loeffler, however, has come under intense criticism from conservatives who question her ideological credentials and wanted Kemp to pick Collins. President Donald Trump lobbied Kemp to appoint the congressman, and Sean Hannity had Collins on his show Tuesday and lamented that he wasn’t Kemp’s choice.

Collins has more than $1.3 million in his House campaign account, according to his most recent filing with the Federal Election Commission. But he would likely be able to raise money quickly if he were to run for Senate. As the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee and one of the highest-profile Republican figures involved the impeachment probe, he would have an entrée to pro-Trump donors across the country.

Loeffler, a Republican mega-donor. is the chief executive of Bakkt, a bitcoin trading platform based in Atlanta. Her husband, Jeffrey Sprecher, is the chairman of the New York Stock Exchange.

She is poised to join other immensely wealthy candidates to tap their personal fortunes in recent years. Now-Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) spent over $60 million of his own on his successful 2018 bid, while New Jersey Republican Bob Hugin dropped $36 million on his failed effort the same year.