The top two fund-raisers in the race for north DeKalb’s state Senate seat took slightly different paths to gaining the money they needed for their campaigns for the Republican nomination in the July 20 primary.

A personal loan coupled with contributions from more than 150 individuals and current and former state lawmakers helped District 79 state Rep. Fran Millar raise more than $63,000 in his bid for the District 40 state Senate seat, according to his campaign finance report filed with the Georgia Ethics Commission.

Opponent James Sibold of Dunwoody, meanwhile, used a $72,000 loan from himself to provide all of the funding for his campaign between April 1 and June 30, his report showed.

In addition, he reported he loaned himself an additional $35,000 on July 6.

Sibold said he “made a choice not to solicit any funds.”

“The flip side of that is I’m not beholden to any special interest group. There’s no PAC money, there’s no lobbyist money. The only person I’m beholden to is Mrs. Sibold,” he said, in reference to his wife, Karen.

“It’s money that I saved up over the years and I’m proud that I was able to self-finance this campaign,” he said.

Millar, R-Dunwoody, received contributions of $43,918 and loaned himself $20,000 between April 1 and June 30 — the latest reporting period required by state law, according to his report filed with the Georgia Ethics Commission.

He noted he received individual contributions from more than 150 people between $20 and $1,000 apiece.

“It’s a very humbling thing,” he said. “I’m responding to all of them individually in writing. I’ve got people supporting me throughout the district.”

He said he felt Sibold’s report shows he was a “lone wolf” who had little campaign support.

“Where are his voters?” Millar asked. “I have real voters giving me money.”

Millar’s top individual contributors included the campaigns of former DeKalb state Rep. Paul Jennings ($2,400), and current legislators Donald Thomas of Dalton, Tommie Williams of Lyons, Ed Lindsey Jr. of Atlanta, Wendell Willard of Sandy Springs, and R.M. “Mickey” Channell of Greensboro ($1,000 each).

He also received $2,400 from the campaign fund of the current District 40 state senator, Dan Weber of Dunwoody, who is not seeking re-election.

Other top contributors to Millar during the period were Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia ($2,000); Doraville-based Independent Insurance Agents of Georgia ($2,000); and the Georgia Medical, Georgia Society of Anesthesiologists, and Georgia Optometric Association PACs ($1,000 each).

Millar spent $36,838 during the period, leaving his campaign with $27,079 on hand July 1.

Millar’s top expenditures for the period totaled $26,788 to Landmark Communications of Duluth for a website, yard signs and “e-campaign” services.

Sibold reported expenditures of $71,849, leaving him $900 on hand on July 1.

Sibold’s top expenditures included $43,000 to The Hopper Co. of Paris, Tenn., for mailings and campaign consulting; $11,198 to Rosetta Stone Communications of Roswell for mailings; and $5,652 for campaign staff.

The other Republican candidate in the race, Jim Duffie of Atlanta received $3,100 and $2,057 in loans for a total of $5,157 in contributions. He spent $3,158 during the period, leaving a balance of $1,999 on July 1.

His top contributors included William Miller ($750) and Donald Thompson ($500), both of Atlanta; and the Georgia Association of Realtors PAC ($500).