Donations favor sitting county judge

Dutch King, (left), a 2022 candidate for county judge of Jefferson County, and incumbent County Judge Gerald Robinson are shown in these October 2022 file photos.
Dutch King, (left), a 2022 candidate for county judge of Jefferson County, and incumbent County Judge Gerald Robinson are shown in these October 2022 file photos.

The race for county judge will be decided today, but the race for dollars has been a landslide in favor of incumbent County Judge Gerald Robinson over opponent Dutch King.

Robinson, who filed his Campaign Contribution and Expenditure Report with the Jefferson County Clerk's office on Monday – almost a week later than the deadline – reported campaign contributions of $66,218. That is more than five times the amount that King raised, which was $12,700.

Robinson noted in a phone call on Monday that a check for $1,000 from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff was incorrectly deposited into his campaign account.

The deposit was uncovered as Robinson's accountant was preparing the contribution report.

Robinson said his campaign would immediately reimburse UAPB for the money.

As for expenditures, Robinson's campaign spent $62,678 during the period the report covered, which was Jan. 1 to Oct. 31, 2022.

He reported that he spent $16,337 on radio advertising, $7,660 on other advertising and $33,412 on fundraising, with most of that, $29,750, paid to Stanley Walker.

The report said Robinson has about $3,540 remaining as a balance.

King reported an unused balance of $1,656. Robinson's report was due on Tuesday, Nov. 1. He said last week that he thought the report was due at the end of November.

Graham Sloan, director of the state's Ethics Commission, said the penalty for campaign-related violations depended on the number and severity of the offenses.

In the case of late campaign finance reports, Sloan said the likely result would be at the "milder end of the spectrum," which would be a letter of caution.

Even for that to happen, he said, someone would have to file a complaint with his office about the late paperwork.

The following list includes the names of the people and businesses that contributed at least $50 to Robinson's campaign.

If the occupation of the person making the contribution was shown, it was included in the list.

If a person made multiple contributions, each contribution is shown separately.

Early voting ended on Monday.

Those wanting to vote today can do so from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at their polling place.

$70 Donation

Horace J. Fikes Jr. (Attorney)

Mr. or Mrs. Ronnie D. Grice

Wally or Sherry Hunt

Shannon Renee Bohannon

Hazel Reed (Ph.D.)

Arlanders or Barbara A. Davis

Billy G. Coble

Jereline Young

Theodis Riggins

Rufus L. Jackson

Taxes R Us

Pamela Barnes-Earnest

Bobby Bond

Charles E. Howard

Charles S. Boyd

George H. and Earnestine S. Barnes

Derryl Bishop Evans

Louise Tyler Tubbs

Jo Linda Smith

Precision Alarm

$75 Donation

Joy R. Blankenship (Pine Bluff Downtown Development)

$100 Donation

Clayron G. Rasberry

George R. and Deloris A. Cotton

Tommy Bennett

Henry Wilkins V

Booker T. Clemons Jr.

Gale Glover Jones

Patrick J. Anderson

Humphrey Painting & Gutter LLC

Arkansas Democratic Black Caucus

Ryan L. Watley (Go Forward Pine Bluff Inc.)

Robert Rayford

$105 Donation

Beatrice Goodloe

American Tire & Wheel Exchange

Blake or Lacey Sullivan

$140 Donation

Jim Lord (Real Estate Account)

Bernard C. Adams

Danny Joe and Karen Holcomb

Brianna Bradley

Tony Rasberry

Vivian Flowers for State Rep.

Pamela Barnes-Earnest

$150 Donation

Tee Pee Electronics Inc.

Charles A. Banks

$175 Donation

SEARK Heating and Air LLC

Cato Trucking Asphalt & Pavement Co.

Robert L. and Carrie L. Handley

$200 Donation

David C. Jacks (Physician)

Jefferson County Democratic Women

$210 Donation

Sandra L. Anderson

Floyd L. Donald

Pamela Barnes-Earnest

$240 Donation

Pamela Barnes-Earnest

$245 Donation

Clyde or Sammia Thomas

$250 Donation

David E. or Beverly W. Beck

W. C. Bridgforth (Attorney)

Kevin Bonnette Insurance Agency

Charles Banks

Mike or Jessica Holcomb

Rosalind M. Mouser

Cliffiord R. or Angela J. Flowers

John E. and Nichole Harris

Adam and Courtney Head

Rosalind M. Mouser

$280 Donation

Henry Wilkins V

$350 Donation

iOne Benefits Group Inc.

Oudin Property LLC

Showcase of Floors

Smart Chevrolet Buick GMC

Delta Towing & Recovery Inc. (Foster Towing)

Heartcare Clinic of the South

Robert Weaver (Weaver Tree Service)

Relyance Bank (Political Action Committee)

Matthew Webb Construction

Mark Robinson

W. Scott McGeorge

Carpet Barn Inc.

Hixson Auto Sales

$390 Donation

Mike Holcomb (2022 Campaign Account)

$420 Donation

James N. and Jessica M. Vernon

$450 Donation

Hixson Auto Sales

$500 Donation

Anderson Electric Co. of Pine Bluff

Robert L. Handley

Richard (Lee) and Laura Smart (Smart Auto Group)

Freddie W. Booker

Julia R. and Teddy E. Mullenix

Brown Funeral Home & Mortuary

Larry and Lanita Plunkett

HHH Petroleum LLC

Jeff R. Jones (Jeff Jones CJC)

Josetta Edwards Wilkins Trust (Angela J. Wilkins and Josetta E. Wilkins, trustees)

$600 Donation

David Edwyn Beck

Kevin Bonnette Insurance Agency Inc.

$700 Donation

Sissy's Log Cabin Inc.

The Manhattan Group (DBA Foster Motor Co.)

Design One Contracting LLC

Wes McGeorge

Michael Hallman (Fiber Solutions Inc.)

Compassionate Care PAC

Mr. or Mrs. Ronald A. Hope

The Capitol Group

$1,000 Donation

Robert Weaver (Weaver Tree Co.)

E. Pat Norsworthy

Godwin Planting Co.

Jefferson County Democratic Central Committee

*University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (Controller's Office)

Henry F. Trotter (Trotter Ford)

$2,000 Donation

Relyance Bank (Political Action Committee)

$2,500 Donation

The P3 Group

Nathaniel O. Clark

Henderson Planting Co.

Norsworthy Land Co.

Carter Brothers Partnership

Upcoming Events