Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Money raised, spent not sole determining factor in city election
Fayetteville candidates report finances
FAYETTEVILLE — Raising or spending more money in a campaign didn’t necessarily mean a win in the city’s races for local office.
Municipal candidates had to turn in final campaign contribution and expenditure reports for the Nov. 3 general election by Dec. 30. That’s in addition to preelection reports and reports associated with the Dec. 1 runoff, if applicable.
Candidates in the city’s mayoral and council races in the general election raised a total of about $145,000, with more than $135,000 spent on campaigns.
Mayor Lioneld Jordan won reelection to a fourth term, outraising and outspending his closest opponent, Tom Terminella. Jordan raised more than $38,000 to Terminella’s $21,750. Jordan also spent more than $33,000 on his campaign, while Terminella spent just more than $21,700.
Jordan received 24,641 votes, or 68%, with Terminella receiving 9,050 votes, or 25%.
Mayoral candidates Ron Baucom and William Harris, whose vote totals combined for 2,716 or 7%, raised no money and spent just more than $200 apiece. Baucom spent $241 on signs and business cards, while Harris spent $227 on office supplies, leaflets and business cards.
Terminella turned in his final general election report late, on Jan. 8, according to the stamp from the Washington County Clerk’s Office.
Twelve candidates in the city’s four council races raised a total of about $85,000 and spent about $80,000, according to reports.
Two Ward 1 candidates — Tanner Pettigrew and Oroo Oyioka — turned in their final reports for the general election on Friday and Thursday, respectively. Three council candidates — Pedro Fimbres Jr. in Ward 1, Matthew Petty in Ward 2 and Kyle Smith in Ward 4 — turned in their final reports a day late on Dec. 31.
The Arkansas Ethics Commission generally will only investigate a possible violation, such as not turning in a form correctly or on time, if a complaint is filed. The commission can issue fines or send a letter of reprimand if it finds a violation has occurred.
D’Andre Jones won the Ward 1 seat over Pettigrew in a runoff election. Jones raised just more than $10,300 and spent more than $14,000 in the general election. His preelection report for the runoff showed he raised nearly $2,500 and spent just more than $1,800.
That brings Jones’ total campaign effort to more than $12,000 raised and more than $16,000 spent. He also started his campaign with $1,000 and loaned himself $1,600.
A campaign volunteer for Jones said he raised some more money during the runoff and made up the difference with a loan to himself. A final runoff report due Feb. 1 will reflect the amounts, she said.
Money reflected in Pettigrew’s general election reports and the preelection runoff report showed him leading Jones in donations with about $18,000, and just more than $16,000 in expenditures.
Jones led Pettigrew in the Nov. 3 election with 3,108 votes, or 38%, to Pettigrew’s 2,413 votes, or 30%. Jones won the Dec. 1 runoff with 1,040 votes, or 72%, compared to Pettigrew’s 408 votes, or 28%, according to the unofficial vote total.
Fimbres raised $4,400 and spent $4,060. Oyioka reported $439 in money raised with $1,252 spent for his campaign.
Ward 2 candidates Petty and William Chesser raised comparable amounts of money, about $8,900 each. Petty, the incumbent, spent just more than $5,000 on his campaign compared to Chesser’s $8,900 in expenditures.
Petty won the race with 64% of the vote, or 4,135 votes total. Chesser received 2,300, or 36%.
Peter Tonnessen raised no money in his campaign to unseat incumbent Ward 3 Council Member Sarah Bunch, who raised $6,350. Tonnessen spent $1,470 to Bunch’s $3,913.
Bunch won reelection by a 54-point margin, with 7,548 votes, or 77%, to Tonnessen’s 2,258 votes, or 23%.
Kyle Smith, who was appointed to his Ward 4 seat by the City Council in 2017, outraised and outspent the eventual winner of the race, Holly Hertzberg. Smith raised $19,760 to Hertzberg’s $14,870. He also spent $20,515 compared to the $15,027 Hertzberg spent on her campaign.
Smith lent himself $2,000 for his campaign. Hertzberg had a loan to herself of $157 to make up the difference in the amounts raised and spent.
Hertzberg won the Nov. 3 election with 4,894 votes, or 51%, gaining a majority. Smith garnered 3,043 votes, or 31%. Paul Waddell came in third with 942 votes or 10%, and perennial candidate Adam Fire Cat received 774, or 8%.
Waddell raised $1,925 and spent $1,942. Fire Cat raised no money but spent $13 on advertising.