Sanders’ governor run tops $600,000 in April

Republican gubernatorial candidate Sarah Huckabee Sanders collected about $601,000 in contributions in April, while Democratic candidate Chris Jones received about $161,000 last month, Sanders and Jones reported this week.

Campaign finance reports for state candidates for the month of April were due in the secretary of state’s office Monday.

On Tuesday, reports for state candidates who are opposed in the primary, for the period from May 1-May 14, were due in the secretary of state’s office. Reports for this period for several candidates seeking the state’s constitutional officer posts weren’t posted yet on the secretary of state’s website at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The primary election is next Tuesday, and the primary runoff is June 21. The general election is Nov. 8.

For the primary, Sanders of Little Rock reported raising $533,489.35 in contributions and spending $838,986.62 in April. That increased her total contribution collections to $12.86 million and total spending to $7.74 million, leaving a balance of $5.12 million on April 30 for the primary.

For the general election, Sanders reported raising $67,607.95 in April to increase her total contributions and balance to $2.02 million on April 30.

Sanders is a former White House press secretary for President Donald Trump and is the daughter of former Gov. Mike Huckabee.

For the primary, Jones of Little Rock reported raising $ 156,764.68 and spending $147,364.85 in April. For the primary, he also reported raising $54,994.29 and spending $87,924.19 from May 1-May 14.

In total, the former executive director of the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub reported raising $1.84 million and spending $ 1.8 million, leaving a balance of $43,456.18 on May 14 for the primary.

For the general election, Jones reported raising $4,899.25 in April to increase his total contributions and balance to $31,892.80 on April 30.

The other gubernatorial candidates reported the following figures in their latest campaign finance reports:

• Republican candidate Doc Washburn of Little Rock raised $22,534.87 in contributions and spent $6,210.76 in April. In total, the podcaster received contributions of $51,709.87, loaned his campaign $3,875 and spent $31,783.45, leaving $23,801.42 on April 30.

• Democratic candidate and former state Rep. Jay Martin of Little Rock raised $7,370 and spent $6,732.67 in April for the primary. Through May 14, the attorney raised a total of $37,874 in contributions, loaned his campaign $5,511 and spent $33,464.15 with a balance of $9,837.97.

• Democratic candidate Supha Xayprasith-Mays of Little Rock raised $ 1,700 and spent$ 6,650.74 last month. In total, the businesswoman raised $27,625 in contributions and spent $7,450.41, leaving a balance of $20,174.59 on April 30.

• Democratic candidate Anthony Bland Sr. of Little Rock raised $515 in contributions and spent nothing in April. Through May 14, the educator had total contributions of $7,093, loaned his campaign $ 750, and spent $ 7,666.05, leaving $176.95.

• Democratic candidate James “Rus” Russell III of Little Rock raised $442 and spent $463.77 in April. Through May 14, the businessman raised $7,693, loaned his campaign $4,000 and spent $12,573.06, leaving a shortfall of $880.06.

• Libertarian candidate Ricky Dale Harrington of Pine Bluff raised $ 3,235.99 and spent $6,332.51 in April. Through May 14, he raised a total of $20,755.72 and spent $12,821.90, leaving a balance of $7,993.82.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

Attorney General Leslie Rutledge of Maumelle reported raising $54,110.21 in contributions and spending $156,481.55 in April for the primary.

Through May 14, she reported raising a total of $ 504,619.86 and spending $464,956.93, leaving a balance of $39,662.93 for the primary.

For the general election, Rutledge reported total contributions and a balance of $465,654.63 through May 14. In November, she abandoned a run for governor to seek the lieutenant governor’s office.

Republican candidate Sen. Jason Rapert of Conway reported raising $20,698 and spending $122,279.76 in April for the primary.

In total through May 14, he reported raising $402,675.60 and spending $390.939.63,97 for the primary election, leaving a balance of $11,735.97. For the general election, he reported a balance of $17,700.

Republican candidate Doyle Webb of Benton reported raising $ 10,280 in contributions and spending $ 32,363.66 in April for the primary.

In total through May 14, the former chairman of the state Republican party reported raising a total of $293,005, loaning his campaign $40,365 and spending $286,100.40, leaving a balance of $47,269.60 for the primary. For the general election, he reported a balance of $36,100.

For the primary, Bledsoe of Little Rock reported raising $9,873.55 in contributions and spending $247,753.43 in April. That increased the state’s surgeon general’s total contributions collected to $338,108, loans to his campaign to $50,000 and total spending to $360,612.64, leaving a balance of $27,495.36 on April 30,

For the general election, he reported raising $100 in April to increase his total contributions collected and balance to $5,525.56 on April 30.

Republican candidate Joseph Wood of Fayetteville reported raising $ 16,075 in contributions and spending $ 13,863.03 in April for the primary. Through May 14, the Washington County judge reported raising in total $146,844 and spending $139,535.09, leaving $7,308.91 in the bank for the primary.

Earlier this month, Republican candidate Chris Bequette of Little Rock reported loaning his campaign $425,000 on April 28, and raising $774.61 in contributions and spending $2,062.49 in April. In total, he reported loaning his campaign $440,000, raising $17,420.11 and spending $30,259.52, leaving a balance of $427,160.59 for the primary on April 30.

Democratic candidate Kelly Ross Krout of Lowell reported raising $8,171.12 in contributions and spending $14,501.83 in April for the primary. In total, she reported raising $126.301.33 in contributions, loaning her campaign $ 100, and spending $101,674.29, leaving a campaign balance of $24,736.04 on April 30.

Libertarian candidate Frank Gilbert of Little Rock reported raising and spending nothing in April. In total, he reported raising $100 and spending $100 as of April 30.

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Republican Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin of Little Rock reported raising $12,070 in contributions and spending $53,187.24 in April for the primary.

In total through May 14, he reported raising $1.69 million and spending $943,237.46, leaving a campaign balance of $755,806.76 million for the primary.

For the general election, Griffin reported contributions totaling $628,335 and spending $15,800, leaving a balance of $612,535 for the general election on May 14. In February of 2021, Griffin ended his bid for governor to run for attorney general.

Republican candidate Leon Jones Jr. of Little Rock reported raising $3,2o5 and spending $2,723.56 in April for the primary. In total, he reported raising $76,726.94, loaning his campaign $3,500 and spending $62,331.64, leaving a balance of $18,064.85 on April 30.

Democratic candidate Jesse Gibson of Little Rock reported raising $ 17,950 in contributions and spending $28,882.28 in April for the primary. In total, he reported raising $212,875.11 in contributions, loaning his campaign $25,000 and spending $211,456.71, leaving a balance of $26,543.40 on April 30.

SECRETARY OF STATE

Republican secretary of state candidate Eddie Joe Williams, a former state senator from Cabot, reported raising $22,020 and spending $118,094.87 last month.

In total through May 14, he reported raising $206,082 and spending $187,739.66, leaving a balance of $18,342.34 for the primary. For the general election, he reported a balance 0f $7,900 through May 14.

Republican incumbent John Thurston of East End reported raising $16,425 and spending $85,908.86 toward his reelection bid last month. He also loaned his campaign $1,175.82.

Through May 14, Thurston has raised a total of $157,920.99, loaned his campaign $ 4,508.18 and spent $144,955.68 for the primary election, leaving a balance of $31,983.09 for the primary. For the general election, he reported a balance of $4,900.

Democratic candidate Anna Beth Gorman of North Little Rock reported raising $ 10,432 and spending $ 44,271.88 in April for the primary.

Through May 14, she reported raising $125,788 in total contributions and spending $103,507.70, leaving a balance of $22,280.30.

Democratic candidate Josh Price of Maumelle reported raising $12,189.44 and spending $4,576.06 in April for the primary. In total, he reported raising $138,239.65 in contributions, spending $116,912.89 with a balance of $21,326.76 on April 30.

TREASURER

Republican candidate Sen. Mat Pitsch of Fort Smith reported raising $10,892.24 and spending $5,410.01 in April for the primary.

Through May 14, he reported raising $120,967.24 in contributions and spending $82,847.09. He reported a balance of $40,146.30.

Pitsch’s report for April notes that he refunded his campaign $1,924.24 for mileage. A complaint submitted to the Arkansas Ethics Commission last month alleged that Pitsch over-reimbursed himself for campaign mileage. In previous campaign finance reports, Pitsch reported reimbursing himself for mileage at a rate of 52 cents per mile in 2021 and 58 cents per mile in 2022.

Candidates are allowed to be reimbursed for campaignrelated travel at the state employee rate, which was 42 cents per mile until March, when it was temporarily raised to 52 cents per mile.

Pitsch said Monday he had calculated the amount he initially reimbursed himself for based on the rate for legislators and re-calculated the mileage reimbursement based on the correct rate after being told of the complaint.

GOP candidate Rep. Mark Lowery of Maumelle raised $ 150 in contributions and spent $1,208.47 in April, according to his report.

In total through May 14, he reported raising $35,700 in contributions and spending $38,063.60, leaving a balance of $47,925.72

In late January, Lowery halted his bid for secretary of state to run for state treasurer. His campaign balance includes carryover from his secretary of state bid and his 2020 campaign for state House.

Democratic candidate Pam Whitaker of Little Rock reported raising $490.88 and spending $472.68 last month. In total, she reported raising $2,984.49 and spending $1,972.68, leaving a balance of $1,011.81 on April 30.