Republican gubernatorial candidate Sarah Huckabee Sanders raised more than $470,000 in contributions last month, while Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Jones received more than $100,000 in the same period, according to their latest campaign finance reports.
Campaign finance reports for state candidates for the month of February were due in the secretary of state's office Tuesday. Several of the statewide candidates filed their reports Tuesday night.
For example, the campaign of Republican gubernatorial candidate Doc Washburn of Little Rock filed its report at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, according to the secretary of state's website. Washburn said Wednesday that his campaign plans to amend the initial report that has a balance of $9,489.44 on Feb. 28 and lists no contributions or expenses.
The primary election is May 24, and the primary runoff is June 21. The general election is Nov. 8.
For the primary, Sanders reported raising $417,469.16 in contributions and spending $170,537.44 last month. That increased her total contribution collections to $11.7 million and total spending to $6 million, leaving a balance $5.6 million. For the general election, Sanders reported raising $55,730 last month to increase her total contributions and balance to $1.84 million.
She is a former White House press secretary for President Donald Trump and is the daughter of former Gov. Mike Huckabee.
Jones, of Little Rock, reported raising $108,735.59 and spending $222,455.50 last month for the primary. In total, the former executive director of the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub reported raising $1.5 million and spending $1.3 million, leaving a balance of $162,069.46 for the primary. For the general election, he reported raising $350 last month to increase his total contributions and balance to $24,940.
Neither Sanders nor Jones' campaigns issued statements about their latest fundraising reports.
The other candidates for governor reported the following figures in their campaign finance reports.
• Democratic candidate Anthony Bland Sr. of Little Rock reported raising $2,783 in contributions and spending $5,000 last month for the primary election. In total, he reported raising $6,428, loaning his campaign $750 and spending $7,178, leaving no money in his campaign treasury as of Feb. 28.
• Democratic candidate former Rep. Jay Martin of North Little Rock reported raising $2,650 and spending $10,294.70 since Jan. 1 for the primary. In total, he reported raising $22,095 in contributions, loaning his campaign $411 and spending $14,060.88, leaving a balance of $8,445.12.
• Democratic candidate James "Rus" Russell III of Little Rock reported raising $278 and spent $80.94 last month. In total, he reported raising $6,391, loaning his campaign $4,000 and spending $11,496.27, leaving a shortfall of $1,105.27 as of Feb. 28.
• Democratic candidate Supha Xayprasith-Mays of Little Rock reported raising $200 and spending nothing last month for the primary. In total, she reported raising $15,200, and spending $799.67, leaving a balance of $14,400.33.
• Libertarian candidate Ricky Dale Harrington of Pine Bluff reported raising $490 and spending $272.30 last month. In total, he reported raising $6,357.51 and spending $5,094.47, leaving a balance of $1,263.04.
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
For the primary, Republican candidate Greg Bledsoe of Little Rock loaned $50,000 to his campaign, raised $3,227.29 in contributions and spent $20,287.25 last month.
That increased the state's surgeon general's total contributions collected to $315,523.16, loans to his campaign to $50,000 and total spending to $82,873.82, leaving a balance of $282,649.34.
For the general election, he reported raising $104.26 last month to increase his total contributions collected and balance to $2,521.30.
Asked about why he loaned his campaign $50,000, Bledsoe said Wednesday in a text message to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that "I'm committed.
"The lobbyists are pouring money into the Rutledge campaign, so I invested my own funds in case we need it," he said.
"I wanted to make sure the moms and dads, truck drivers, law enforcement officers, health care professionals, pastors and all the others who support us have a voice -- not just the lobbyists."
A spokesman for Republican candidate Leslie Rutledge declined to respond to Bledsoe's remarks.
Rutledge, the state's attorney general, reported raising $32,190.10 in contributions and spending $42,352.36 last month for the primary. In total, she reported raising $373,311.44 and spending $114,323.63, leaving a balance of $258,987.81.
For the general election, she reported raising $3,670.51 last month to increase her total contributions and balance to $464,954.63. In November, she bowed out of a run for governor to seek the lieutenant governor's office.
Republican candidate Doyle Webb of Benton reported raising $20,110 in contributions and spending $17,388.33 last month for the primary. In total, the former chairman of the state Republican party reported raising a total of $253,295, loaning his campaign $40,365 and spending $66,924.57, leaving a balance of $226,735.43 for the primary. For the general election, he reported a balance of $35,900.
Republican candidate Sen. Jason Rapert of Conway reported raising $13,086 and spending $24,477.49 last month for the primary.
In total, he reported raising $350,330.65 and spending $176,699.19 for the primary election, leaving a balance of $173,631.46 for the primary. For the general election, he reported a balance of $17,700.
Republican candidate Joseph Wood of Fayetteville reported raising $6,100 in contributions and spending $7,135.92 last month for the primary election. In total, the Washington County judge reported raising $113,859 and spending $92,351.60, leaving $20,507.40 in the bank on Feb. 28.
Republican candidate Chris Bequette of Little Rock reported raising $100 and spending $595.84 last month for the primary. That increased his total contributions received to $16,645.50, loans to his campaign to $15,000 and total expenses to $14,965.17, leaving a balance of $16,680.33.
Democratic candidate Kelly Ross Krout of Lowell reported raising $6,795.55 in contributions and spending $15,835.38 last month for the primary. In total, she reported raising $102,119.66 in contributions, loaning her campaign $100, and spending $73,749.71, leaving a campaign balance of $28,469.95.
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Republican candidate Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin of Little Rock reported raising $22,196 in contributions and spending $45,769.42 last month for the primary. In total, he reported raising $1.64 million and spending $562,738, leaving a campaign balance of $1 million for the primary.
Griffin reported a campaign balance of $608,285 for the general election. In February of 2021, Griffin ended a bid for governor to run for attorney general.
Republican candidate Leon Jones Jr. of Little Rock reported raising $1,747, loaning his campaign $3,500 and spending $9,462.96 last month for the primary. In total, he reported raising $72,751.94, loaning his campaign $3,500, and spending $45,000.86, leaving a balance of $31,251.08.
Democratic candidate Jesse Gibson of Little Rock reported raising $15,370.96 and spending $55,481.58 last month for the primary. In total, he reported raising $175,220.11 in contributions, loaning his campaign $25,000 and spending $151,338.29, leaving a balance of $49,006.82.
SECRETARY OF STATE
Republican candidate former state Sen. Eddie Joe Williams of Cabot reported raising $21,550 and spending $18,818.40 last month for the primary. In total, he reported raising $153,051 and spending $36,736.94, leaving a balance of $116,314.06 on Feb. 28 for the primary. For the general election, he reported a balance of $7,900.
Republican Secretary of State John Thurston of East End reported raising $5,650 in contributions and spending $13,814.64 last month for the primary. In total, he reported raising $115,255.99, loaning his campaign $3,332.36 and spending $26,499.15, leaving a balance of $107,598.80 for the primary. For the general election, he reported a balance of $2,800.
Democratic candidate Anna Beth Gorman of North Little Rock reported raising $11,520 and spending $11,668.49 for the primary. In total, she reported raising $92,246 in contributions and spending $40,613.93, leaving a balance of $51,632.07.
Democratic candidate Josh Price of Maumelle reported raising $7,365.44 in contributions and spending $7,043.88 last month for the primary. In total, he reported raising $110,503.83 and spending $100,675.49, leaving a balance of $9,828.34.
TREASURER
Republican candidate Sen. Mat Pitsch of Fort Smith reported raising $15,400 and spending $16,934 last month for the primary. In total, he reported raising $85,455 in contributions and spending $66,588.13, leaving a balance of $20,893.02.
GOP candidate Rep. Mark Lowery of Maumelle reported raising $8,800 and spending $10,062 last month after starting the month with a balance of $55,317.42 for the primary election. In total, he reported collecting $14,500 in contributions and spending $10,733.90, leaving a balance of $54,055.42 for the primary.
Lowery said Wednesday that balance included his carryover from his 2020 campaign for the state House as well as contributions from donors to his former secretary of state campaign that authorized the transfer their contributions to his treasurer campaign.
In late January, Lowery halted his bid for secretary of state to run for state treasurer.