Sanders’ PAC logs campaign finance report
Committee raised $272,450 in quarter ending Dec. 31
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ political action committee raised $272,450 in contributions and contributed $36,300 to legislative candidates during the last quarter that ended Dec. 31, the committee reported this week.
In a report filed Tuesday night with the Arkansas secretary of state, the TEAM SHS (Sarah Huckabee Sanders) PAC reported a balance of $221,219.09 on Dec. 31, after factoring in $15,029.82 in administrative expenses.
This is the first campaign finance report for the political action committee of the Republican governor who just started her second year as the state’s chief executive. Former Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s political action committee is Asa PAC, and former Republican Gov. Mike Huckabee’s political action committee is Huck PAC.
Sanders’ political action committee reported raising more in contributions during the last quarter than her 2026 re-election campaign reported collecting in contributions during the last quarter, according to the reports filed with the secretary of state.
The largest contributions to TEAM SHS PAC last quarter included $10,000 apiece from Republican Attorney General Tim Griffin’s Jobs and Growth PAC; WCD Consulting Inc. of Little Rock; retiree Jack McKee of Ooltewah, Tenn.; Chris McKee of McKee Foods Manufacturing of Ooltewah, Tenn; CoreCivic of Tennessee LLC; and CCBCC Operations LLC of Charlotte, N.C., according to the PAC’s report for the last quarter.
Sanders’ PAC reported making the following contributions last quarter to the following candidates:
■ State Sen. David Wallace, R-Leachville, $3,300 for the primary and $3,300 for the general election. In the March 5 primary, Manila Republican Tommy Wagner is
challenging Wallace in Senate District 19. No other candidate has filed for the Senate seat.
■ State House candidate Arnetta Bradford of Hope, $3,300 for the primary and $3,300 for the general election. She is a Republican vying with Nashville Republican Robert Bradford and Washington Republican Dolly Henley for the party’s nomination in House District 88. No other candidate has filed for the House seat. The incumbent, state Rep. Danny Watson, R-Hope, isn’t seeking re-election.
■ State Rep. Frances Cavenaugh, R-Walnut Ridge, $3,300 for the primary and $3,000 for the general election. Walnut Ridge Republican Coty Powers is challenging Cavenaugh in the primary in House District 30 for the second consecutive election. The winner will vie with Bono Democrat Hamilton Holmes in the general election.
■ State Sen. Steve Crowell, R-Magnolia, $3,300 for the primary and $3,300 for the general election. Republican Mark Silvey of Rosston is challenging Crowell in the primary in Senate District 3. No other candidate has filed for the Senate seat.
■ State House candidate Jason Nazarenko of Cotter, $3,300 for the primary. Nazarenko is a Republican vying with Gassville Republican Tink Albright for the party’s nomination in House District 4. No other candidate has filed for the House seat. The incumbent, state Rep. Jack Fortner, R-Yellville, is not seeking re-election.
■ State House candidate Robert Thorne Jr. of Marion, $3,300 for the primary. Throne is a Republican vying with Turrell Republican Gary Tobar for the party’s nomination in House District 35. Four Democrats are seeking their party’s nomination for the House seat. The incumbent, state Rep. Milton Nicks, D-Marion, is not seeking re-election.
■ State House candidate James Eaton of Huntsville, $3,300 for the primary. Eaton is a Republican, and no other candidate has filed for the House District 26 seat. The incumbent, state Rep. Mark Berry, R-Ozark, is not seeking re-election.
Meanwhile, Sanders reported raising $208,065.41 in campaign contributions and spending $263,484.95 during the quarter that ended Dec. 31 for her 2026 primary election campaign.
The largest contributions to Sanders’ primary election campaign last quarter included $3,300 from the Delivering American Values in DC PAC of Nashville, Tenn.; $3,000 from Joseph Seley of Rogers; $2,900 from Lisenne Rockefeller of Little Rock; $2,500 from Doug Elms of Rogers and John Campbell of Hot Springs; and $2,000 apiece from John Flake of Little Rock, Frank Bailey of Rogers, Maximo Alvarez of Doral, Fla, and Edward Levy of Birmingham, Mich., according to the report.
Sanders’ 2026 primary campaign expenses last quarter included $157,969.14 for direct mail and $43,500 for consultant fees, the report shows.
Last quarter boosted Sanders’ total campaign contributions received to $852,935.79 and total expenses to $1.02 million for the 2026 primary election. She reported a balance of $2.4 million in her 2026 primary campaign treasury as of Dec. 31.
At the end of December 2022, Sanders reported $2.9 million in remaining campaign funds from her successful 2022 gubernatorial campaign. Act 737 of 2021 allows candidates to maintain remaining campaign funds after an election and use them to run for election or reelection.
Sanders is a former White House press secretary for former president Donald Trump, who is running for the Republican nomination for president in 2024. She has endorsed Trump for president. Her fundraising and spending levels in the 2022 election cycle were a record for a gubernatorial candidate in Arkansas.
GRIFFIN’S PAC
Griffin’s political action committee, the Jobs and Growth PAC, reported raising $35,000 in contributions and contributing $35,950 to candidates and committees last quarter.
That increased the contributions received by the political action committee to $133,730 and the contributions made to candidates and committees to $86,400, the committee reported. The committee reported a balance of $35,473.07, after factoring in $31,807.38 in administrative expenses.
Last quarter, NRG energy lobbyist Kandi Terry of Hometown, Ill., made the largest contribution to the Jobs and Growth PAC. Terry contributed $10,000, according to the committee’s report.
Besides its $10,000 contribution to Sanders’ PAC last quarter, the Jobs and Growth PAC reported contributing $10,000 to the Arkansas Conservative Legislative PAC.
The Jobs and Growth PAC’s other contributions last quarter were to the following candidates:
■ State Sen. Breanne Davis, R-Russellville, $3,300 for the primary election and $3,300 for the general election. In the general election, Russellville Democrat Michelle Justice is challenging Davis.
■ Crowell and Wallace, $3,300 apiece for the primary election.
■ State Rep. Jimmy Gazaway, R-Paragould, $1,000 for the primary election. No other candidate has filed for Gazaway’s House District 31 seat.
■ State Reps. Karilyn Brown, R-Sherwood; John Carr, R-Rogers; and Ryan Rose, R-Van Buren, $500 apiece for the primary election. In the general election, Jacksonville Democrat Andrew Eberley is challenging Brown in House District 67. Two Democrats in the primary election are vying to take on Carr in House District 15 in the general election. No other candidate has filed for Rose’s House District 48 seat.
■ District judge candidate Jill Kamps of Little Rock, $250. Kamps, who is a veteran prosecutor, is vying with Pulaski County Circuit Judge Mackie Pierce for the criminal district judge post to succeed Melanie Martin.
Griffin reported raising $83,905 in campaign contributions and spending $74,197.62 last quarter for the 2026 primary election.
That boosted his total contributions received to $910,531.95 and total expenses to $285,396.87, leaving a balance of $625,135.08 at the end of December for the 2026 primary election, according to his report. At the end of December 2022, Griffin reported remaining campaign funds of $797,839.18 from his successful 2022 general election campaign.