Editors, reporters and producers around town can tell you stories about getting calls and e-mails from supporters of John Carroll complaining vociferously that he’s getting short shrift when it comes to coverage.

The complaint is not without merit: Carroll’s name is not often mentioned in the same company as the top three anointed gubernatorial candidates — Democrats Mufi Hannemann and Neil Abercrombie and fellow Republican James “Duke” Aiona.

Civil Beat has reported on Carroll, albeit not to the extent it has covered Mufi, Neil and Duke. There are, in fact, 11 men running for governor, including three other Democrats.

But does Carroll really stand a chance against the sitting lieutenant governor?

Carroll is an accomplished man — graduate-level college education, retired Army officer, Korean War veteran, fighter pilot, commercial pilot, attorney, businessman, former state representative and senator.

He’s also a credible candidate in the sense that he has attracted votes in the past. In 2000, for example, he picked up 84,000 votes — almost 23 percent of the vote — challenging U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka. Republican state Sen. Sam Slom endorsed Carroll this week.

But Carroll has not attracted much other support this year, judging by his recent campaign finance report.

He pulled in $929 from July 1 to Sept. 3, bringing his total for the entire election to $14,425. But he’s also spent most of it and has less than $2,000 in cash on hand.

Of that $929 in donations, $770 came from just three people and in the form of sign boards, banners and a table at a hotel.

Unlike donors to the top three candidates, no one has dished out the maximum $6,000. From Jan. 1 to June 30, only nine people gave Carroll money.

Indeed, John Carroll’s biggest contributor has been John Carroll: He paid off a $5,200 loan to his own campaign.

Compare Carroll’s money with Aiona’s $199,378 take in the recent period and $2.57 million for the cycle, and it becomes easier to understand why most people aren’t paying John Carroll much attention.

Aiona, for one, is not taking Carroll seriously at all. He’s dodged all invitations to appear with him on the same stage.

Carroll supporters might reasonably argue that there is a direct correlation between media exposure and campaign donations. Reporters, editors and producers might argue the reverse.

If John Carroll somehow manages to defeat the lieutenant governor on Sept. 18, it will be one of the greatest upsets in Hawaii electoral history.

But a “Dewey Defeats Truman” scenario seems highly unlikely.