FAYETTEVILLE — Republicans seeking full-time elected positions in Washington County raised more money and have more cash than their Democratic opponents during the last few days before the elections, according to financial reports filed Tuesday.
Republicans running for treasurer, assessor, tax collector, circuit clerk and county clerk raised $40,171, including personal loans and donations from area residents. Combined, the group has $9,348 in cash as of Oct. 27. Their Democratic counterparts raised a combined $29,962 with a remaining $2,639 in unspent cash.
Tyler Clark, chairman of the county’s Democratic Central Committee, said county candidates are encouraged to focus more on grassroots campaigning, instead of concentrating on raising a lot of money.
“We've been more focused on door-to-door instead of spending money on automated calls,” Clark said. “It’s about the human voice and human touch. They've been walking every day for the past two weeks in Fayetteville, Springdale, Lincoln and all over the county.”
Jim Reavis, chairman of the county’s Republican Committee, tells his county candidates to look at the area they’re targeting when considering how to spend their campaign dollars.
“If some are in a rural area, a postcard is easier to reach out to constituents,” he said. “We go to polling data for races higher up. Springdale is very vital to us ... We're growing more and more across the county in areas two or four years ago that would have been a staunch Democratic areas, like Fayetteville.”
Of the five races, candidates for Circuit Clerk raised the most money.
Between May 23 and Oct. 27, Republican candidate Kyle Sylvester raised $14,140, including a $250 donation from 3rd District Rep. Steve Womack, R-Rogers, a $1,000 donation from former Justice of the Peace Micah Neal, now a Republican candidate for state representative in District 89. State Rep. Jon Woods also gave $250 and Bart Hester, candidate for state Senate in District 1, gave the same amount.
Sylvester reported having $4,516 cash on hand.
His opponent Mona Piazza raised $11,723, including donations from several law firms and attorneys. Taylor Law Partners in Fayetteville gave $1,000. The Woodruff Law Firm gave $200 and $100 donations came from attorneys J. Timothy Smith, Woodson Bassett and the Estes, Grambling, Estes and Turner law firm.
She reported having $1,516 cash, however after calculating revenue minus expenditures, Piazza had $912. Her treasurer Scott Smith, who filled out the financial report, said some of the donations under $50 may have not been reported but the campaign’s bank account balance showed $1,516.
In the assessor’s race, incumbent Jeff Williams raised $10,256 between May 23 and Oct. 27 with $3,937 cash on hand. His Democratic challenger, Dan Cypert, raised $7,483 with about $98 left in cash.
Williams received $500 donations from Neal, the Arvest Political Action Committee and Mick Wagner with an unknown address. Williams reports did not include addresses of contributors, despite instruction asking for the locations of donors.
By The Numbers
Contributions
County Clerk
Ann Upton (D) Cumulative
Beginning balance $318
Loans $4,198 $7,354
Donations $1,555 $4,295
Expenditures $5,806 $11,864
Cash on hand $265
Noteworthy/top contributors
Not listed
Becky Lewallen (R) Cumulative
Beginning balance $4,350
Loans $0. $1,200
Donations $5,309 $11,129
Expenditures $8,731 $11,401
Cash on hand $928
Noteworthy/top contributors
Micah Neal, state House District 89 candidate $250
Tom & Robin Lundstrum $100
Circuit Clerk
Kyle Sylvester (R) Cumulative
Beginning balance $6,040
Loans $0 Not listed
Donations $8,100 Not listed
Expenditures $9,624 Not listed
Cash on hand $4,516
Noteworthy/top contributors
Micah Neal, state House District 89 candidate $1,000
Bart Hester, state Senate District 1 candiate $250
Jon Woods, state Senate District 7 candidate $250
U.S. Congressman Steve Womack $250
Diamond Political Action Group $100
Mona Piazza (D) Cumulative
Beginning balance $4,175
Loans $2,934 $7,079
Donations $4,614.38 $11,839
Expenditures $10,811 $17,518
Cash on hand $912
Noteworthy/top contributors
Taylor Law Partners $1,000
Racheal Patrick of Elkins $500
Woodson Bassett III $100
State Sen. Sue Madison, D-Fayetteville $75
Tax Collector
David Ruff (R) Cumulative
Beginning balance $610
Loans $2,646 Not listed
Donations $0 Not listed
Expenditures $3,256 Not listed
Cash on hand $0
Noteworthy/top contributors
None
Greg Bradford (D) Cumulative
Beginning balance $734
Loans $200 $200
Donations $3,100 $3,100
Expenditures $2,153
Cash on hand $1,881
Noteworthy/top contributors
Richmond Wholesale $200
Barbara & Doug Prichard $200
Treasurer
Roger Haney (D) Cumulative
Beginning balance $0
Loans $0
Donations $1,385
Expenditures $1,373
Cash on hand $12
Noteworthy/top contributors
None
Russell Hill (R) Cumulative
Beginning balance $0
Loans $1,200
Donations $2,860 $2,960.00
Expenditures $2,894
Cash on hand -$33
Noteworthy/top contributors
Jon Woods, state Senate District 7 candidate $260
Micah Neal, state House District 89 candidate $500
Assessor
Jeff Williams (R) Cumulative
Beginning balance $1,466
Loans $1,630 $2,830
Donations $7,160 $8,660
Expenditures $6,318 $7,552
Cash on hand $3,937
Noteworthy/top contributors
Mick Wagner $500
Micah Neal, state House District 89 candidate $500
Arvest Political Actoin Committee $500
Dan Cypert (D) Cumulative
Beginning balance $48
Loans $2,800 $4,500
Donations $4,635 $6,085
Expenditures $7,386 $10,487
Cash on hand $98
Noteworthy/top contributors
Jared Ennis of Fayetteville $1,500
Matt Norris of Springdale $700
Christina O'Donnell of Rogers $500
Sue Phillips, former county assessor $100