Cotton, Pryor campaigns file finance data

Total of $2.5 million raised by two in year’s 1st quarter

WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton edged out U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor in campaign donations in the first three months of the year, according to federal campaign-finance reports released Tuesday.



RELATED ARTICLES

http://www.arkansas…">Ross outraises Hutchinson in gubernatorial racehttp://www.arkansas…">Cotton, Pryor spar on taxes, Medicare

Cotton, a Republican from Dardanelle, is challenging Pryor, a Democrat from Little Rock. The race is expected to be one of the most closely watched in 2014 as Democrats and Republicans compete for control of the U.S. Senate.

Already the campaigns, national political parties and outside special-interest groups have poured millions into the state, and spending is expected to rise in the next seven months. Tuesday was the deadline to file reports detailing campaign-finance activity for the first quarter of the year.

Cotton raised $1.35 million in the first quarter, according to his campaign. He spent $868,434 and had $2.72 million on hand March 31. Cotton has raised a total of $4.82 million for the campaign.

Cotton said in a news release that he is humbled by the support.

“Our fundraising success will only bolster our momentum going forward,” he said.

Pryor raised $1.22 million for the quarter, according to his campaign. He spent $1 million and had $4.4 million on hand on March 31. Pryor has raised $7.45 million total for the campaign.

Pryor’s campaign manager Jeff Weaver said in a news release that the senator’s re-election chances are strong.

“Mark’s path to victory is clear because of the grassroots support we’re seeing from across the state of Arkansas,” he said.

By law, U.S. Senate candidates submit typed campaign-finance reports to the secretary of the U.S. Senate, who forwards them to the Federal Election Commission to be placed online. It can take weeks or months for information on Senate campaign donors to become available in a searchable format online at fec.gov.

University of Arkansas at Fayetteville associate professor of political science Andrew Dowdle said the fundraising amounts demonstrate how close the race will be between Pryor and Cotton.

“Neither candidate seems to be able to really kind of pull ahead, but also on the other hand neither candidate seems to be making any major mistakes,” Dowdle said.

Dowdle said it is unusual for a U.S. Senate race in Arkansas to have two well-funded candidates so far from the general election.

“You’ve usually had the situation where one candidate has had a significant advantage, historically it’s been the Democratic candidate that had the advantage, so this is really somewhat of a rarity,” he said.

Duke University political science professor David Rohde said donors see both men as strong candidates.

“This is expected to be a close race,” Rohde said. “There’s going to be a lot more money raised.”

Tuesday was also the campaign-finance filing deadline for U.S. House candidates. Reports were due by midnight, so not all of the campaigns’ information was available Tuesday evening.

In the 2nd Congressional District, Republican Col. Conrad Reynolds of Conway reported raising $34,071 and spending $17,948. He finished the quarter with $66,123 on hand. He also reported $72,093 in debts, including a $65,000 loan from Reynolds to his campaign.

Republican businessman French Hill of Little Rock raised $300,134 and spent $116,674, according to his campaign staff. He had $714,435 on hand.

A report was not available for Republican state Rep. Ann Clemmer of Benton.

Democrat and former North Little Rock Mayor Patrick Hays reported raising $352,287 and spending $94,204, according to his campaign. He had $470,607.27 on hand on March 31.

In the 4th Congressional District, Democrat and former Federal Emergency Management Agency Director James Lee Witt of Dardanelle reported raising $268,802 and spending $119,174. He had $316,023 on hand on March 31.

Republican Hot Springs businessman Tommy Moll’s campaign said he raised $115,716 and spent $81,697. He had $392,600 on hand.

The campaign of Republican state Rep. Bruce Westerman of Hot Springs said he raised $65,126 and spent $83,910. He had $136,208 remaining.

The rules of the Arkansas House of Representatives prohibited Westerman and Clemmer from raising campaign funds during this year’s legislative fiscal session, which ran from Feb. 10 to March 19.

In the 1st Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford, a Republican from Jonesboro, reported raising $97,455 and spending $70,556. He had $360,524 on hand at the end of the quarter.

Democrat and Heber Springs Mayor Jackie McPherson’s campaign said he raised $111,645 and spent $10,963. He has $100,682 on hand.

In the 3rd Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, a Republican from Rogers, reported raising $518,665 and spending $181,617. He finished the quarter with $694,907 on hand.

Reports were not available for the Libertarian congressional candidates: Brian Scott Willhite of Cabot (1st District), Debbie Standiford of North Little Rock (2nd District), Grant Brand of Pea Ridge (3rd District) and Ken Hamilton of El Dorado (4th District).

Also, reports were not available for U.S. Senate candidates Nathan LaFrance, a Libertarian from Bella Vista, and Mark Swaney, a Green Party candidate from Huntsville.

Arkansas, Pages 9 on 04/16/2014

Upcoming Events