Phil Bryant

A candidate for lieutenant governor campaigned in Meridian on Wednesday.

State auditor Phil Bryant addressed the Rotary Club. State Sen. Charlie Ross of Brandon is also seeking the office. Both are Republicans.

Still more than six months away from the primaries, both Bryant and Ross have raised more than a half million dollars for their campaigns.

"Certainly fund raising is a large part of it and we've been very successful at that. We have an aggressive fund raising campaign going on now but I'm real careful of who I take money from. And I want them to know that I just can't be bought," said Bryant.

So far, one Democrat, Jamie Franks of Mooreville, and one independent Shawn O'Hara of Hattiesburg, have qualified to run for lieutenant governor. The qualifying deadline is Mar. 1.