Graham Allen, running to unseat pro-impeachment Republican Rep. Tom Rice, raises $500K in six weeks

Conservative media personality Graham Allen, who announced his campaign to unseat Rep. Tom Rice in May, has already raised more than $500,000, he told Fox News. 

Rice, R-S.C., voted to impeach former President Trump, which has tipped off a crowded Republican primary campaign against him. Allen, a veteran who later launched right-leaning media platforms for himself, entered the race six weeks ago and is already pulling in significant donations, he says. 

"Our message of giving the power back to the people, where it belongs, is resonating with the people," Allen said. 

His campaign says the $500,00 came from "nearly 8,000" individual donations. 

REPUBLICANS WHO VOTED FOR IMPEACHMENT FACE BARRAGE OF PRO-TRUMP PRIMARY CHALLENGES 

"These are real people that simply want their voice to be heard because these people feel betrayed from people like Tom Rice and from other elected representatives that feel like they know what's best for the American people," Allen continued. 

"They call me an outsider, they say I don't fit in, they say I haven't paid my dues," Allen, who has never held elected office before, added. "The people are tired of the system selecting who it is that's the next one up." 

Allen is endorsed by fellow conservative influencers Candace Owens and Charlie Kirk. 

The Rice campaign, responding to the Allen fundraising haul, said: "Congratulations! Use some of that to buy a map to the 7th District."

Rice, for his part, has said he welcomes the primary challenge. 

"I’ve faced challengers in every election. I welcome the opportunity to discuss how I’ve been working everyday in Congress on behalf of my constituents," Rice told Fox News last month. "From broadband investment, infrastructure investment, beachfront renourishment and federal disaster relief, to ensuring our pro-life values and the 2nd Amendment remain protected from House Democrats, I’m proud to represent the interests of the people of the 7th District."

Allen's funding total stacks up well with the standard set by other Republicans running primary challenges against Republicans who voted for impeachment.

Former Trump aide Max Miller, the only such candidate former Trump has endorsed so far, raised $500,000 in this year's first quarter. Miller, running against Rep. Anthony Gonzalez, R-Ohio, is widely considered to be the most well-funded of this group of primary challengers. 

Wyoming state Sen. Anthony Bouchard, who has been in his race against Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., since January, surpassed $500,000 last month, he told Fox News. 

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Those numbers pale in comparison, however, to the fundraising totals for the high-profile incumbents who voted to impeach Trump. Cheney pulled in $1.54 million during the first quarter of 2021, and Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., raised $1.1 million for his leadership PAC and $1.1 million for his congressional campaign during the first quarter of 2021. Gonzalez raised more than $600,000 in the first quarter and had more than $1 million in cash on hand. 

Rice, who's kept a lower profile than Cheney, Gonzalez and Kinzinger, raised just over $400,000 in the first quarter of 2021. He had more than $1.3 million cash on hand. 

Potentially in Rice's favor is the fact that he has upwards of 10 primary challengers, a massive field that may split the anti-Trump vote. Among the other candidates are former Myrtle Beach Mayor Mark McBride and Horry County School Board Chairman Ken Richardson. 

Fox New's Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.