The Democratic candidate for county judge of Pulaski County has out-fundraised his Republican opponent by 11 times and his Libertarian opponent by 1,100 times, according to campaign contributions and expenditure reports filed this week with the Pulaski County clerk's office.
Barry Hyde, 58, of North Little Rock said his campaign has solicited donations from people in the community and has raised about $220,000, compared with about $20,000 raised by Mabelvale resident Phil Wyrick, 65, who said he has not asked for contributions or hosted fundraisers. Hyde raised $118,650 before Wyrick even announced his candidacy Feb. 27, and $99,650 before 2014 even started. Both Hyde and Wyrick are former state representatives.
Libertarian candidate Glen Schwarz, 60, of Little Rock reported $195 in campaign spending and no contributions above $50, which is the legal threshold for reporting itemized contributions. The legal threshold for reporting individual expenditures is more than $100, which Schwarz also did not surpass.
The candidates, who all area business owners, said their reports reflected their campaign styles.
Hyde said he's knocked on doors, made phone calls, and attended club meetings and other events, talking to people about his campaign. He has solicited donations from some of the people he's met along the way.
"I've tried to open every door," he said.
Wyrick said his campaign was more focused on a "grass-roots" approach, which he described as attending events such as a fish fry last week in which he served lemonade for 4½ hours. Wyrick also noted that he tries to reach many nontraditional Republican voters and has gone to many predominantly black Baptist churches in Little Rock and North Little Rock, where he said he has been met with support.
"We've never concentrated on fundraising," he said.
Schwarz did not return a voice mail left for him Thursday afternoon seeking comment on his finance report.
County candidates were required to submit pre-election reports of campaign contributions and expenditures Oct. 28 if they are opposed in their races and have raised or spent more than $500, said Teresa Jones, fiscal officer with the Arkansas Ethics Commission.
Arkansas Code 7-6-209 states that the reports covering all fundraising and expenditures up to 10 days before an election are due seven days before the general election.
Hyde turned in his report Tuesday, filing more than $200,000 in expenditures, along with more than 400 contributions from individuals, businesses and political action committees.
Wyrick did not submit a report until Thursday. He said he was running behind but was not in a penalty period. Wyrick reported 37 contributions from individuals, businesses and political action committees.
Schwarz was not required to turn in a report under the law but did submit one Tuesday.
As far as expenditures, Hyde reported spending $91,820 on television advertisements and $50,462 on radio ads, compared with $12,852 spent by Wyrick on both radio and TV ads.
Wyrick had at least one ad air during the World Series on KLRT, Channel 16, but he said he wasn't aware of the ad and guessed that the space may have been purchased before the World Series was scheduled. Wyrick's ads contain the same 30-second audio piece on radio and television.
Hyde's 30-second TV ads have appeared on KARK, Channel 4; KATV, Channel 7; and KTHV, Channel 11 during morning, evening and night weekday newscasts. His one-minute-long radio ads have aired on nine stations during morning and evening weekday drive times, he said.
Schwarz reported spending $100 to advertise in his own newspaper, The Emerald City of the South, and $15 on Sharpie markers. Handwritten campaign signs for Schwarz -- black marker on a white board -- have been posted throughout the county.
Hyde and Wyrick also contributed to their own campaigns. Hyde threw $5,292 into his campaign coffers last week, and Wyrick gave his campaign a loan of $5,500 two weeks ago. Those contributions are not included in the totals previously listed.
Arkansas Code 7-6-203 states that candidates may contribute to their own campaigns without adhering to the provision in state campaign finance law that limits contributions to $2,000 for any person giving to any candidate not running for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, treasurer of state, auditor of state, attorney general or commissioner of state lands.
Wyrick received four contributions totaling $2,000 from a lawyer, two businessmen and a joint contribution from his daughter Theresa and her husband, David Glover.
Wyrick additionally received a company donation from North Little Rock-based CBM Construction Co. and three separate donations from five total employees of the company for $1,250 altogether. The Republican representative on the Pulaski County Election Commission, Kevin Gorman, also gave $100 in one donation and $100 in a second donation with Sally Gorman.
Wyrick also received $2,500 in total contributions from four political action committees: North Pulaski Republican Women, Pulaski County Republican Women, the Pulaski County Republican Committee and the Progress PAC.
The Progress PAC gave to both Hyde and Wyrick. The committee gave two donations for $750 to Hyde and one donation of $250 to Wyrick. On the list of political action committees and lobbyists registered with the Arkansas secretary of state's office, the committee's interests are described as "general business interests of central Arkansas."
The Wright, Lindsey & Jennings law firm gave $1,000 to Wyrick and $1,000 to Hyde. The firm's contribution to Hyde came seven days before Wyrick announced his candidacy for county judge on Feb. 27. The firm gave to Wyrick on March 12.
Hyde received four donations totaling $5,000 from the employees of North Little Rock-based Ashley Co., a property management firm, and other donations from dozens of business contributions, including $2,000 donations from Taggart Architects, Golden Eagle Distributors, TBS Farms LLC, Lexicon Management Group Inc. and Koon Properties LLC.
Pulaski County Clerk Larry Crane gave $300 altogether to Hyde's campaign; Little Rock city board candidate Kathy Webb gave $200; and lieutenant governor candidate John Burkhalter gave $1,000.
Hyde also received $3,300 in total contributions from four political action committees other than the Progress PAC: Pulaski County Democratic Committee, Opportunity PAC, Car Dealers Interested in Government and ARPAC, which Hyde called a Realtors association. A search for the group, which gave $1,500, yielded no results on the website for the secretary of state's office.
The Opportunity PAC was not listed on the office's 2014 list of registered political action committees and lobbyists, but the group has filed several contribution reports this year and gave $100 to Hyde.
Metro on 10/31/2014