In quarter, Little Rock Democrat raised most money of state congressional candidates, reports show

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/STATON BREIDENTHAL --10/8/18--  Republican candidate Rep. French Hill, left, Libertarian candidate Joe Ryne Swafford, middle, and Democratic candidate state Rep. Clarke Tucker listen to a question from the panel Monday during their 2nd Congressional District AETN debate in Conway.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/STATON BREIDENTHAL --10/8/18-- Republican candidate Rep. French Hill, left, Libertarian candidate Joe Ryne Swafford, middle, and Democratic candidate state Rep. Clarke Tucker listen to a question from the panel Monday during their 2nd Congressional District AETN debate in Conway.

WASHINGTON — State Rep. Clarke Tucker, the Little Rock Democrat trying to unseat U.S. Rep. French Hill, raised more money than any other Arkansas congressional candidate during the third quarter, according to reports filed Monday with the Federal Election Commission.

Tucker reported $694,238 in contributions between July 1 and Sept. 30 but spent $851,185, leaving the campaign with $230,484 at month’s end.

Hill, the two-term Little Rock Republican incumbent, raised $595,368 and spent $761,357 during the same time period.

The 2nd District congressman had nearly $1.5 million cash-on-hand for the fall campaign.

Arkansas’ other three incumbent U.S. representatives raised nearly identical amounts of campaign contributions during the third quarter.

Third District U.S. Rep. Steve Womack raised $200,670 between July 1 and Sept. 30. The Republican from Rogers, whose district includes most of Northwest Arkansas’ Interstate 49 corridor and as well as other, less populated areas, spent $263,497. His campaign reported cash on hand of nearly $1.2 million. His Democratic opponent, Josh Mahony of Fayetteville, raised $57,363 and spent $93,460, leaving him with $15,387. The Mahony campaign also reported debts and obligations totaling $46,666.

In the 1st District, which covers northeast Arkansas and a string of counties bordering the Mississippi River, U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford raised $200,388 during the period and spent $93,936, leaving his campaign with cash-on-hand of $468,755. The Jonesboro Republican’s Democratic challenger, educator Chintan Desai of Helena-West Helena, reported contributions of $53,158 and expenditures of $33,306, leaving his campaign with $25,758.

In the 4th District, which includes southwest Arkansas, Pine Bluff and a sparsely populated slice of Northwest Arkansas, U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman raised $194,679 and spent $153,563 and refunded $4,450 in contributions during the quarter. The Republican from Hot Springs had slightly more than $1 million in his campaign coffers at month’s end. Democratic challenger Hayden Shamel, a teacher from Hot Springs, raised $44,800 during the quarter and had expenditures totaling $40,070. Her campaign finished the quarter with $24,020 in the bank.

All of the Democratic and Republican congressional nominees in Arkansas complied with the FEC’s Monday night deadline.

Read Wednesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

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