Senate candidate's loans to campaign top $117,000

Rep. David Wallace, R-Leachville, lent his state Senate campaign another $12,300 last month, increasing his total loans to more than $117,000 in his bid to oust Sen. David Burnett, D-Osceola, according to Wallace's latest campaign finance report.

Wallace, who is an owner of a disaster recovery company and a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, said he hasn't decided whether he will end up lending his Senate campaign more than $200,000 by the end of this campaign. At the end of July, his loans to his campaign totaled $117,627.95.

"I'm not being coy with you. I just don't know," Wallace said in a telephone interview last week. "The last 30 days [before the Nov. 8 general election] I'll take a hard look at it and see where I sit."

In addition to lending his campaign $12,300 more last month, Wallace reported raising $3,350 in contributions to increase his total contributions to $37,380 and spending $5,739 more to increase his total expenses to $45,348.27. He reported $105,331.52 in his campaign account on July 31 -- the largest amount for any legislative candidate at the end of last month.

Burnett reported raising $11,500 in contributions last month to increase his total to $57,755, and spending $3,880.10 to increase his total expenses to $24,784.40. He reported $35,860.10 in his campaign account on July 31.

Burnett said he's "kind of curious" why Wallace would lend his campaign more than $117,000 for a Senate post that pays an annual salary of $39,400.

"I think it's highly suspicious, but I'll take his word for it," said Burnett, an attorney who is a former prosecutor and circuit judge.

Wallace said Wednesday, "It is not about the money. It is about helping people. I know this sounds corny. I have had a great life. I have had a great Army career. ... I have a really good business that is going well. It is a chance to give back to my community to help people. I help people in my community every day. That is what a legislator should be doing." Wallace has served in the House of Representatives since 2015.

Wallace said the loans are out of his own pocket, and he's surprised that Burnett hasn't put his own money into his Senate campaign.

"I would believe he would believe in himself more than that," he said.

Burnett reported contributing $4,425 to his campaign, but not lending it any money.

He said he'll likely lend his campaign about $25,000.

"But I'm not trying to go out and buy people's vote," said Burnett, who has served in the Senate since 2011.

A candidate who lends his campaign money can repay himself from contributions to his campaign, including those given after the election.

Burnett and Wallace are dueling for Senate District 22 seat, which includes Mississippi and Poinsett counties and part of Craighead County.

At least four other legislative candidates in Arkansas reported lending their campaigns more than $100,000 during the past several years, based on a search through the Institute on Money in State Politics' website.

They include unsuccessful Senate candidate Chad Niell, a Jonesboro Republican who reported lending his campaign $203,500 in a special primary election in 2013; unsuccessful Senate candidate and former Rep. Dan Greenberg, a Little Rock Republican who reported lending his primary Senate campaign $185,000 in 2010; unsuccessful Senate candidate former Rep. Ken Cowling, a Texarkana Democrat who reported lending his primary campaign $131,511 in 2010; and unsuccessful Senate candidate R.D. Hopper of Cabot, who reported lending his campaign $117,993 for this year's March primary.

State Senate campaigns are more expensive than state House of Representatives campaigns.

There are only two other contested Senate races between Democrats and Republicans in the Nov. 8 general election. The Senate includes 24 Republicans and 11 Democrats.

In the Senate District 27 race, Trent Garner reported raising more money than the incumbent, Sen. Bobby Pierce, D-Sheridan. Garner is a field representative for U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, a Republican from Dardanelle. Pierce is a utility contractor and hardware store owner.

Senate District 27 includes Calhoun and Union counties, and parts of Cleveland, Grant, Jefferson and Ouachita counties.

In addition to lending his campaign $84.58, Garner reported raising $10,315 in contributions last month to increase his total contributions to $73,847.40 and spending $5,492.79 to increase his total expenses to $9,517.38. He reported $64,387.60 in his campaign account as of July 31.

Pierce reported raising $7,150 in contributions last month to increase his total contributions to $96,050 and spending $6,006.59 to increase his total expenses to $31,985.75. He didn't report lending any money to his campaign. He had $73,174.62 in his campaign account on July 31.

Garner said, "Last month, my opponent said that he raised 'most' of his money from people in south Arkansas. Apparently, 'most' really means literally no one from south Arkansas for July.

"I support and encourage people's right to free speech and to participate in our political process by Political Action Committees and donation, no matter where they live in the state. However, it is telling the lack of support my opponent has with the people he is supposed to represent. That shows a lack of leadership," Garner said in a written statement.

Pierce reported receiving $2,000 contributions last month from the California-based Teladoc Inc. PAC and the Fort Smith-based Stephens Energy PAC; $1,000 contributions from lobbyist Bill Phillips of Conway and Little Rock-based Arkansas Cable Telecommunications Association PAC; $750 from the Little Rock-based Arkansas Medical Society PAC; and $400 from the Indiana-based Eli Lilly & Co. PAC.

Pierce said in an interview that he hasn't held a fundraiser in his Senate district yet, but he's already scheduled fundraisers in Camden, El Dorado, Pine Bluff and Sheridan for this fall. That doesn't show a lack of support and leadership in the Senate district, he said, adding that Garner has raised money from outside the Senate district, too.

Garner's contributions last month include $1,500 from Jeromy Ray Sullivent doing business as S&S Services in Fordyce; $1,000 apiece from lobbyist Bruce Hawkins' DBH6 PAC of Morrilton, Hawkins' DBH4 PAC of Morrilton and the Union County Republican Committee; and $500 apiece from Arkansas Jobs PAC of Sheridan, Cleveland County Republican Committee, Sebastian County Republican Committee, Dr. Timothy Simon of Monticello, Jim Golden of Jim Golden Ford in Camden and David L. Siggers of Spectra Inc. in Camden, according to his campaign finance report.

In the Senate District 34 race, Sen. Jane English, R-North Little Rock, reported raising $20,475 last month to increase her total to $45,950 and spending $5,910.49 to increase her total to $8,740.35 for the general election campaign. She reported $37,209.65 in her campaign account on July 31.

Her Democratic opponent, attorney Joe Woodson of North Little Rock, reported raising $1,625 last month to increase his total contributions to $30,444. 20 and spending $2,265.16 to increase his total expenses to $20,986.52. He reported $9,457.68 in the bank on July 31. Neither English nor Woodson reported lending their campaigns any money.

Senate District 34 generally includes North Little Rock, Sherwood, eastern Maumelle and the Jacksonville area, north of Interstate 40 and west of U.S. 67/167.

These campaign finance reports for last month were filed with the secretary of state's office between Aug. 11-15.

Metro on 08/28/2016

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