Democratic candidate Chris Jones reports more than $100,000 raised in January for Arkansas gubernatorial race

Arkansas gubernatorial candidate Chris Jones raised more than $100,000 in the span of a month according to a campaign finance report released Tuesday, the deadline for state candidates to file their monthly reports with the Secretary of State’s office.

One of several Democrats running for governor, Jones reported raising $127,704.34 in contributions in January to bring his total campaign contributions to a little more than $1.4 million.

He reported spending $161,650.33 last month, leaving a balance of $275, 779.37.

Some of the largest donations to Jones’ campaign came from outside of the state. They included donations of $10,050 from Anne Patterson in Virginia; $4,000 from Jean Schulz, board president with the Charles M. Schulz Museum in California; $8,640 from Gloria Haegelin in Washington; and $3,600 from Margaret Moody, a puppeteer with Margaret Moody Puppets.

Jones also received donations from professors and educators across the nation, including Ohio State University, Yale University, Harvard University and Carnegie Mellon University.

Jones received local contributions from medical professionals across the state, with the largest being $8,150 from a Fort Smith radiologist. He reported donations from legislator Vivian Flowers, the president of Arkansas Research Alliance and the director of advertising for the Arkansas Times, among others.

Jones reported raising $3,350 for the general election and spending nothing last month, leaving a balance of $24,590.

The largest contributions came from Frances Carter-Johnson of the National Science Foundation in Maryland with $5,850 and from Jerry Adams, president of Arkansas Research Alliance, with $4,200.

Reports for Republican gubernatorial candidate Sarah Huckabee Sanders were not posted on the Secretary of State’s website as of Tuesday afternoon.

Reports for three other Democratic gubernatorial candidates — businesswoman Supha Xayprasith-Mays, businessman James Russell III and educator Anthony Bland Sr. — and Libertarian candidate Ricky Harrington also were not posted as of Tuesday afternoon.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, who switched from the governor’s race to the lieutenant governor’s race in November, reported raising $32,907. 13 and spending $56,323. 16 for the primary election last month, leaving a balance of $274,112.

Rutledge’s campaign received $2,900 in contributions from Prateek Gera with Gera Investments; Valentine Hansen, a real estate professional with Remax; Kathy Kittler, a homemaker; Doug and David Hendrix of Big Red Stores; Michael Stec, a manufacturer with Alpha Packaging Inc.; and Todd Wulf with Integrated Medical.

She also received donations from Kenneth Lloyd Warford, an attorney with the Arkansas attorney general’s office, and Kerry Moody, an employee with Arkansas attorney general’s office.

Rutledge raised $300 and spent nothing for the general election, leaving the campaign with a balance of $461,284.12, according to the report.

Other Republican candidates for lieutenant governor are state Surgeon General Greg Bledsoe of Little Rock, state Sen. Jason Rapert, R-Conway, former state Republican Party chairman Doyle Webb of Benton, Washington County Judge Joseph Wood of Fayetteville and businessman Chris Bequette of Little Rock .

Rapert raised $8,298.63 and spent $20,980.04 in January for the primary election. That left him with a balance of $185,022.95. Most of the money raised in January came from smaller donations, with only one donation of more than $2,000.

The monthly campaign finance report for Rapert’s general election stayed at $17,000 with no contributions or expenditures.

Wood raised $6,545 and spent $8,379.74 in January, leaving a balance of $21,543.32.

One of Wood’s largest donations came from the CRH Americas PAC in Washington DC for $1,000. He also received two donations of more than $1,000 from Springdale residents Lance Johnson and Nancy Johnson.

Webb raised $10,675 and received $40,000 in total loans while spending $4,575.06, leaving his campaign with $224,013.76.

The largest donations of $2,900 came from Carolyn and William Green and Charlotte Rue, who works with the city of Bryant, along with a $2,500 contribution from RD Hopper, president and CEO of The Hopper Corporation. Webb also received a $500 donation from Rep. Ken Bragg, R-Sheridan.

Webb reported raising $4,800 for the general election with no expenditures, leaving the campaign with $35,900.

Democratic candidate Kelly Krout of Lowell raised $6,734.70 and spent $10,263.12 this past month, leaving a balance of $37,545.78 . The largest donation was $1,559 from Stephanie Riffle, the marketing vice president for United Federal Credit Union.

Reports for Chris Bequette and Greg Bledsoe were not available as of Tuesday afternoon.

ATTORNEY GENERAL

In the race for attorney general, Republican Lt. gov. Tim Griffin of Little Rock reported raising $10,720 and spending $26,039.48 last month, leaving a balance of $1.1 million.

The largest donations were $2,900 from attorney Reginald James Brown with Kirkland and Ellis, LLP, and Addison Smith, who works in public affairs for Alta Crest.

Griffin also reported raising $3,100 for his general campaign, bringing his total to $608,285.

Democratic candidate Jesse Gibson, a Little Rock attorney, reported raising $13,353 and spending $5,271 in January, leaving a balance of $89,117.44.

The largest donation to Gibson’s campaign was $1,525 from Mary Wohlleb.

SECRETARY OF STATE

Former state Sen. Eddie Joe Williams, R-Cabot, raised $24,565 and spent $8,035.66 for the primary election last month, leaving a balance of $113,58246.

The largest contribution was $2,900 from Ronald Cameron with Mountaire Corp.

Williams reported raising nothing last month toward the general election, leaving a balance of $7,900.

Incumbent Secretary of State John Thurston raised $12,350 and spent $1,149. 40 toward the primary election, leaving a balance of $115,763.44.

The Republican’s largest contribution was $2,500 from RD Hopper, president of the Hopper Corporation.

Democratic candidate Anna Beth Gorman reported raising $12,839 and spending $10,332.48 last month, leaving a balance of $51,780.56.

The largest contribution to the campaign was $2,900 from Steve Ledwell of Ledwell and Sons.

Gorman, of North Little Rock, is executive director of the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas. She launched her campaign in October.

The other Democratic candidate, former Pulaski County Election Commissioner Josh Price, raised $9,587.38 and spent $13,893.82 for the election in January, leaving a balance of $9,506.78.

Most of those contributions were smaller donations, with only two reaching $1,000.

TREASURER

State Sen. Mat Pitsch, R-Fort Smith, raised $12,450 in January and spent $4,995.78. That left him with a balance of $22,427.87.

Pitsch’s largest donation of $2,000 came from Keith Gibson in Fort Smith. The campaign also received $1,000 contributions from John Nabholz of Nabholz Construction and Jimmy Hickey of Texarkana, and $500 from an AT&T lobbyist.

LAND COMMISSIONER

Tommy Land, the incumbent Republican land commissioner, raised $550 and had cash on hand of $19,713 after reporting no expenditures in January.

The report states $250 of the $550 raised came from US Rep. French Hill.

Democratic challenger Goldi Gaines of North Little Rock hadn’t filed a report as of Tuesday afternoon.

COURT OF APPEALS

Saline County District Judge Stephanie Casady, who is running for the Position 6, District 2, seat on the Arkansas Court of Appeals, reported raising $17,275 last month with $150.75 in expenditures while receiving a $563 loan. That left her campaign with $78,164.25.

The largest contributions were $2,500 contributions from Joel Hoover, an attorney with Newland and Associates, and a Sherwood woman who didn’t list a job title.

Casady is running to succeed Judge Larry Vaught, who plans to retire at the end of his term this year.

Wendy Wood, a Little Rock attorney and law clerk for Vaught, raised $8,525 in contributions last month, according to filings with the secretary of state’s office. She listed $2,962.53 in expenditures, leaving the campaign with a balance of $30,746.96.

The largest donation received was $2,500 from a self-employed woman who does production and publishing. Most of Wood’s donations came from other attorneys.

Craighead County Circuit Judge Cindy Thyer, who is running to replace Arkansas Court of Appeals Judge Phillip Whiteaker in District 1, Position 2, reported raising $11,325 last month. She listed $1,870.73 in expenditures, leaving her campaign with a balance of $17,404.27.

Arkansas Court of Appeals Judge Kenneth Hixson, who serves in District 3, Position 2, reported not raising any funds in January and listed $1,000 in expenditures. His campaign balance was $19,950.

SUPREME COURT

Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Rhonda K. Wood has raised more than $110,000 for her 2022 re-election campaign, according to secretary of state filings Tuesday.

Wood reported raising more than $3,400 in January along with expenditures of $8,301, leaving the campaign with a balance of $119,396.

Wood, from Conway, has served as an associate justice in Position 7 on the Supreme Court since 2015. She was elected in 2014.

Wood’s largest donation came from a retiree in Florida who contributed $1,500. Most of her campaign costs in January went toward fundraising efforts.

Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Robin F. Wynne of Little Rock, who has served as an associate justice in Position 2 since 2015, reported raising $21,450 after receiving $5,050 last month and having no expenditures. The campaign began the quarter with $16,400.

Most of Wynne’s donations came from attorneys.

Wynne is being challenged by District Judge Chris Carnahan of Conway, the Division 1 state district judge for Faulkner and Van Buren counties.

Carnahan reported raising $15,560 in January with no expenditures, leaving his campaign with a balance of $22,536. It was the largest amount of money raised in a month’s span by a Supreme Court candidate.

He received $5,800 donations from Mark C. Simmons of Simmons Food Services, two self-employed attorneys and the TMS Family Trust.

Reports were not available for Circuit Judge Gunner DeLay, a former state lawmaker, prosecutor and district judge who seeks Position 6 on the Arkansas Supreme Court that is currently held by Justice Karen R. Baker.

A report for Baker, who announced last month she would seek a third term, had not been posted as of Tuesday afternoon.

Arkansas Supreme Court positions have staggered terms, so all seven justices aren’t up for re-election in the same year. The four other justices are Chief Justice Dan Kemp, Shawn A. Womack, Courtney Rae Hudson and Barbara Webb.

The 2022 candidate filing period state and federal offices in Arkansas runs from Feb. 22 to March 1. The primary election and nonpartisan judicial general elections are May 24.