Luther tops local candidates in campaign fundraising

El Dorado mayoral candidate Bill Luther outpaced all other local candidates in both campaign fundraising and spending, according to campaign finance reports filed earlier this week.

Candidates in local races had to file campaign finance reports with the Union County Clerk’s Office by Tuesday, in the final campaign finance disclosure before next Tuesday’s primary.

Luther, who is running against incumbent Mayor Frank Hash and challenger Chris Lutman for the Republican nomination, has reportedly raised $20,300, with his largest donation coming from Billy and Judy Blann who contributed $2,000 to Luther’s campaign. Luther also received several donations of $1,000 from the following contributors: Know White, retired; Charles E. Thomas, retail; Jack Reynolds, El Dorado & Wesson PR;

Claiborne P. Deming, chairman & presiding director of Murphy Oil Corp.;

R. Madison Murphy, investments;

G. Pete Park, accountant; and

Jimmy F. Andrews Jr., attorney.

Luther’s report also listed a $500 donation from him and his wife, Barbara.

Luther reported spending $14,875, with more than $8,000 being spent with the Diamond Agency for advertising and direct mail services.

Lutman, who is a sergeant with the El Dorado Police Department, raised the second largest amount in the Republican primary for El Dorado mayor, with just more than $7,000 being raised. Lutman only had one donor listed as contributing at least $1,000 - Bob Watson, listed as a doctor. The report noted that Lutman donated $600 to his campaign and that the campaign repaid a loan from Lutman in the amount of $450.

Lutman reported spending

roughly $8,000, with more than $6,000 being spent on advertising, roughly $2,000 of which was spent on advertising in the NewsTimes.

Hash reported raising $3,800 in campaign funds. Hash’s largest donors were listed as Claiborne Deming, who gave $1,000, and Madison Murphy, who also gave $1,000.

Hash reported spending nearly $6,000, mostly on campaign advertising, with more than $900 being spent on advertising in the NewsTimes.

In the race for Union County tax collector Democrats Karen Scott and Paula Beard both raised less than $5,000.

Scott reported raising roughly $4,400, with her two largest contributors being John Scott, with Lion Oil, who donated a total of $1,400 through three different contributions, and herself, who donated a total of $1,100 through three different contributions.

Scott reported spending roughly $4,200, with more than half of that spent on advertising, including more than $600 in advertising with the News-Times.

Beard, the incumbent tax collector, reported raising roughly $3,600, with her two largest contributions coming from R.K. James, with James Investments, who donated $1,000 total, and S.A. Crosse, retired, who donated $1,600 total. Beard also reported loaning her campaign $1,900.

Beard reported spending roughly $7,000, with almost all of it spent on advertising.

In the race for Union County justice of the peace for District 10, Republicans Bret Garrett and Donald Brock have raised and spent the least amount of money of all local candidates who filed reports.

Garrett did not report raising any funds, but reported a loan to his own campaign of $1,750. He reported spending $1,770, with the majority of funds spent on yard and vehicle signs and campaign cards and handouts.

Brock reported raising $470, with his largest contribution coming from Lawrence Bearden, retired, who donated $150. Brock reported spending roughly $560, mostly on advertising.

The Union County Clerk’s Office said it did not have reports for the El Dorado Ward 3, Position 2 race, where Democrats Andre Rucks and Tony Henry are competing for the seat. Office staff reported that the candidates forms are likely lost in the mail or had been sent to the city clerk by mistake.