For the second month in a row, the circuit judge seeking to be the Arkansas Supreme Court's next chief justice raised more campaign funds than his opponent, a sitting associate justice.
Circuit Judge Dan Kemp of Mountain View reported raising $83,476 in December, just his second month of fundraising, while Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Courtney Goodson reported raising $32,739.
The two nonpartisan candidates are campaigning to replace Chief Justice Howard Brill, who was appointed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson to finish the term of former Chief Justice Jim Hannah. Hannah, who died Jan. 14, retired last August. As an appointee, Brill is ineligible to run for the position.
The judicial general election is March 1. Campaign finance reports, filed with the secretary of state's office, show Kemp has raised $189,961 and Goodson $288,854. Goodson lent her campaign $175,000, while Kemp lent his campaign $20,000.
Kemp's campaign total includes contributions from attorneys and members of the business community. Political action committees associated with the industrial, manufacturing and business community, including the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, accounted for $9,500 in contributions to Kemp.
Individuals from large Arkansas corporations -- such as the CEO from Deltic Timber, Ray Dillon, and the director at investment firm Stephens Inc., Robert Ulrey -- joined the ranks of members of the Walton family as well as the Stephens family in donating to Kemp's campaign. Contributors may give up to $2,700 per election under state law.
Tyson Foods Chairman John Tyson gave $2,700 each to Kemp and Goodson.
Most of Goodson's contributors in December were attorneys -- many from northwest Arkansas where she lives -- but Goodson, who previously was a Court of Appeals judge, also garnered contributions from Rep. Justin Boyd, R-Fort Smith, as well as $100 from a former first lady of Arkansas, Ginger Beebe.
Goodson's campaign has received financial support in recent months from several elected officials or their family members, including Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson, R-Little Rock, who gave $200, and Gov. Asa Hutchinson's son, Asa Hutchinson III, who gave $150.
Although Kemp has raised more money than Goodson in the past two months, Goodson has outspent him by nearly 8 to 1, with much of the money going to advertising, yard signs and consulting.
As of Dec. 31, Goodson, who announced her candidacy in September, reported having spent $257,759.
Kemp, who announced he was running in early November, reported spending $30,723.
Kemp had $159,237 cash on hand going into the new year while Goodson reported having $31,095.
Campaign contribution reports also were filed this week for other judicial elections, including a Supreme Court justice race to fill the vacancy created by the planned retirement of Justice Paul Danielson.
Circuit Judge Shawn Womack, a former Republican legislator from Mountain Home, reported raising $5,500 in December; $3,700 of that came from Republican Party organizations in Mountain Home and Norfork.
So far, Womack has raised $47,615 and spent $29,098. He had $24,214 cash on hand going into the new year.
Womack's challenger, Little Rock attorney Clark Mason, raised $28,701 in December. Most of those contributions came from attorneys in Arkadelphia, Fort Smith, Little Rock and Hot Springs.
Mason has raised $49,001 since entering the race and spent $22,568. He had $36,710 cash on hand at the start of the year.
In other judicial races:
Arkansas Court of Appeals, District 2, Position 2
• Faulkner County prosecutor Cody Hiland raised $22,700 in December, $63,800 overall. His campaign had $54,030 on hand at the end of December.
• Faulkner County Circuit Court Judge Mike Murphy raised $3,100 in December, $14,700 overall. His campaign had $19,390 on hand at the end of December.
Arkansas Court of Appeals, District 5
• Job Serebrov, director of quality assurance at the Arkansas Department of Human Services, raised $8,125 in December, $17,058 overall. His campaign had $10,827 on hand.
• El Dorado attorney James McMenis had no reports available at the secretary of state's office.
• Public defender and accountant Mark Klappenbach raised no money in December, but had $10,600 total. His campaign had $581.22 on hand.
Metro on 01/21/2016