Attorney General Bill McCollum at a March press conference. Credit: Lane Wright, Sunshine State News

Bill McCollum received $1,260,142.17 in campaign matching funds from the state Friday, looking for as much cash as he can to battle billionaire Rick Scott for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. (See the campaign finance documents attached at the bottom of the story.)

Jennifer Krell Davis, spokeswoman for the Division of Elections, said Friday's state disbursement will be the first in a weekly series of cash infusions to McCollum, who continues to trail Scott in the polls.

Under Florida's matching program, McCollum will receive a dollar of public funds for every dollar Scott spends over the $24.9 million limit the law imposes on candidates who don't opt into the state finance system.