Senate hopeful who exited spent $363,595
WASHINGTON — Joshua Mahony’s 2020 U.S. Senate race was short-lived but expensive, according to a campaign termination report filed with the Federal Election Commission.
The Fayetteville Democrat spent $363,595 in pursuit of his party’s nomination, only to drop out of the race on Nov. 12, citing an unspecified “family health concern.”
His exit, mere hours after the filing deadline, left his party without a candidate to challenge Republican U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton of Dardanelle.
With contributions drying up and bills continuing to pour in, Mahony ultimately picked up much of tab himself.
Overall, Mahony donated $107,788 to his campaign and loaned it another $30,000, the FEC filing states. The rest came from donors, who had hoped to help him defeat the state’s junior U.S. senator.
Mahony contributed $53,247 during his campaign and another $54,541 after quitting, including $5,832 for legal services from Venable LLP, plus $1,309 to the Rose Law Firm, the FEC filing shows.
He also paid $20,000 on Dec. 16 to his former campaign manager, Raymond Rosendahl, plus $9,000 to former campaign consultant Diego Ivan Quinones, and
Overall, Mahony donated $107,788 to his campaign and loaned it another $30,000, the FEC filing states. The rest came from donors, who had hoped to help him defeat the state’s junior U.S. senator.
$6,000 to former campaign consultant Morgan Parker.
Mahony, who hasn’t discussed his exit with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, did not respond Monday to a phone call or email seeking comment.
Rosendahl referred questions about the campaign to Will Carle, a Kentucky-based political consultant. Carle did not respond to a phone call or email seeking comment.
Cotton, free of a Democratic opponent, has continued to expand his campaign war chest.
He raised $568,591 during the fourth quarter of 2019 and spent $395,053. He ended the year with $4,542,074 cash on hand plus debts and obligations totaling $160,677, his FEC report showed.
U.S. Sen. John Boozman, a Rogers Republican who isn’t up for reelection until 2022, raised $64,690 and spent $41,354 during the final quarter of the year, leaving him with $583,026.
All four U.S. House members from Arkansas also reported strong fundraising during the last three months of the year.
U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, a Republican from Hot Springs, raised $214,676 and spent $98,430, leaving him with $937,117 cash on hand. A Democratic challenger, William Hanson of Hot Springs, raised $2,510 and spent $23,311, leaving him with $586.59 in cash, plus $26,100 in debts and obligations.
U.S. Rep. French Hill, a Republican from Little Rock, raised $190,352 and spent $125,819. His cash on hand totaled $879,449. State Sen. Joyce Elliott, a Democrat from Little Rock vying for the seat, reported contributions of $75,525 and expenditures of $13,467. She had cash on hand of $72,059 plus debts and obligations of $10,000.
U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford, a Republican from Jonesboro, raised $149,337 and spent $77,438, leaving him with $375,683. Crawford faces no Democratic opposition.
U.S. Sen. Steve Womack, a Republican from Rogers, raised $127,417 and spent $137,715.
His cash on hand totaled $1,262,293.
Celeste Williams, the Bella Vista-area Democrat hoping to unseat Womack, raised $40,321 and spent $47,509, leaving her with cash on hand of $21,861.
The FEC hadn’t posted year-end fundraising figures for any other Arkansas congressional candidates as of early Monday evening.