Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui raised significantly more than his top challenger, state Sen. Clayton Hee, in the last month, but Hee holds the edge in available cash for the final stretch of the campaign.

Tsutsui raised $111,000 in the four-week period from July 1 through 25, bringing his total for the two-year campaign cycle to $893,000 with $69,000 in cash on hand and no debt.

Hee raised $26,000 during that time, raising his total for the cycle to $667,000 with $165,000 left on hand. He also carries no debt.

Financial reports were due Wednesday to the state Campaign Spending Commission.

Tsutsui and Hee are the top contenders in a Democratic primary field of five lieutenant governor hopefuls.

In addition to his duties as lieutenant governor, Tsutsui has said he expects to spend the last week of the campaign visiting the neighbor islands.

Hee, meanwhile, on Thursday picked up an endorsement from the Humane Society Legislative Fund, a Washington, D.C.-based political advocacy organization for animal welfare.

"He believes in the values of kindness and compassion, and we urge voters who care about the humane treatment of animals to make Clayton Hee Hawaii’s next lieutenant governor," Sara Amundson, the organization’s executive director, said in a news release.

On the Republican side, Elwin Ahu, New Hope-Metro pastor, raised $62,000, more than double the amount of the only other GOP challenger, entrepreneur Kimo Sutton, who pulled in $25,000.

Ahu has $131,000 for the year with $30,000 on hand and no debt heading into the final weeks of the campaign.

Sutton has raised a total of $42,000 for his bid and still has $18,000 remaining but carries $23,000 in campaign debt.

The primary is scheduled for Aug. 9.