Arkansas governor tops $1.18M in re-election campaign funds

Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Monday reported $1.18 million in the bank for his 2018 re-election campaign as of June 30.

Campaign finance reports for state offices for the quarter from April 1-June 30 had to be filed by Monday in the secretary of state's office or postmarked by Monday under state law.

Hutchinson -- who formally announced his bid for re-election May 16, more than four months after holding his campaign's first fundraiser in advance of this year's regular legislative session -- reported raising $399,337 in contributions and spending $37,782.95 for the primary in the last quarter from April 1-June 30. That increased his total contributions to $1.003 million and total expenses to $113,497.60 for the primary, leaving $889,639.40 in the bank as of June 30.

For the general election, the Republican governor reported raising $127,650 in contributions and spending nothing during the last quarter. That increased his total contributions to $295,550, leaving $295,550 in the bank as of June 30 for the general election.

"We wanted to have a million in the bank by the end of this report and we met that,"said Jon Gilmore, Hutchinson's political strategist. "It shows a strong level of support for the campaign."

Contributors on Hutchinson's latest campaign finance reports include Stephens Group Chief Executive Officer W.R. Stephens of Little Rock, former Mississippi Gov. and Republican National Committee Chairman Haley H̶a̶r̶b̶o̶u̶r̶ Barbour*, Arkansas State University System President Chuck Welch of Little Rock, Witt Global Partners partner Hal Hunnicutt of Conway, and Republican Secretary of State Mark Martin of Prairie Grove.

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In the 2014 general election, Hutchinson defeated former Democratic U.S. Rep. Mike Ross of Little Rock, Libertarian candidate Frank Gilbert of Tull, and Green Party candidate Joshua Drake of Hot Springs to succeed Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe. Hutchinson previously beat businessman Curtis Coleman of Little Rock in the Republican primary. He is a former federal homeland security undersecretary, Drug Enforcement Administration director, 3rd district congressman and U.S. attorney.

No Democrat has yet signaled plans to run for the party's nomination for governor in 2018. Libertarian candidate Mark West of Batesville said Monday that he didn't file a report for last quarter because he didn't raise or spend at least $500 -- the threshold that requires candidates to begin filing campaign finance reports under state law.

For the 2018 election, the filing period for state and federal offices will be Feb. 22-March 1. The primary will be May 22, and the general election will be Nov. 6.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin, a Little Rock Republican, raised $12,900 in contributions and spent $4,658.46 last quarter for the primary, according to his latest campaign finance report. That increased his total contributions to $211,050, interest earnings to $15.75, and spending to $41,046.15 for the primary. He reported $170,019.60 in his campaign's bank account for the primary as of June 30.

For the general election, Griffin reported raising and spending nothing last quarter. In total, he reported raising $49,500, earning $26.18 in interest, and spending nothing, leaving $49,526.18 in his general election campaign's bank account on June 30.

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, a Maumelle Republican, reported $79,900 in contributions and $3,172.46 in expenses for the primary. That increased her total contributions to $225,900, interest earned to $78.18, and total expenses to $11,635.95, leaving $214,342.23 in the bank for the primary.

For the general election, she reported raising $18,900 last quarter and in total. She also reported spending nothing, leaving $18,900 in the bank as of June 30.

SECRETARY OF STATE

State Rep. Trevor Drown, a Dover Republican, raised $21,652.53 in contributions, loaned his campaign $1,000, and spent $1,011.20 last quarter and in total for the primary, according to his report. He reported $21,641.33 in his campaign's bank account as of June 30.

Land Commissioner John Thurston, a Little Rock Republican, raised $3,575 in contributions, loaned his campaign $191.79 and spent $1,788.90 last quarter for the primary, according to his campaign finance report. He has reported raising $23,350.82 in total, loaning his campaign $191.79 and spending $3,651.52. He reported $19,891.09 in his primary campaign's bank account June 30.

Anthony Bland, a Little Rock Democrat, didn't file a report because he didn't raise or spend $500 in the quarter, said spokesman Chris Kingsby.

TREASURER

State Treasurer Dennis Milligan, a Benton Republican, reported raising $1,400 in contributions and spending $285.65 in the last quarter for the primary. That increased the amount he has raised in contributions to $2,800 and his total expenses to $285.65, leaving $2,514.35 in his campaign's bank account as of June 30.

He also reported raising $5,200 in contributions last quarter and spending that money to reduce the amount that he owes himself from loans that he made to his 2014 campaign from $36,299.98 to $31,049.98.

AUDITOR

State Auditor Andrea Lea, a Russellville Republican, raised $5,600 and spent $1,104.10 last quarter and in total, according to her campaign finance report for the primary. She reported $9,994.09 in cash in her campaign account as of June 30, after starting the quarter with $5,498.19 in the bank.

LAND COMMISSIONER

Tommy Land, a Heber Springs Republican, reported raising $8,135 in contributions and spending $2,627.31 last quarter for the primary. That increased the amount that he's raised to $20,572, his loans to his campaign to $2,700, and his total expenses to $5,055.08. He reported $18,217.92 in the bank as of June 30.

Alex Ray, a Bryant Republican, reported raising $17,550 and spending $3,026.45 last quarter and in total for the primary, leaving $14,523.55 in the bank as of June 30.

Metro on 07/18/2017

*CORRECTION: Haley Barbour is a former Mississippi governor and former chairman of the Republican National Committee. His last name was misspelled in a previous version of this article.

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