Arkansas Online

Rutledge lists $192,000 for campaign

Ex-gubernatorial hopeful also transfers cash to race for No. 2 position

RACHEL HERZOG AND STEPHEN SIMPSON

Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge raised nearly $192,000 for her lieutenant governor campaign last quarter and transferred about $577,000 to that campaign from the gubernatorial bid she ended on Nov. 9, her campaign said in a report filed with the secretary of state’s office.

Of the $460,984.12 Rutledge reported raising for the general election, $432,565 was continued from previous campaign filings, according to the report filed Tuesday evening.

That amount is the same as the balance she reported having for the general election for the fourth quarter in a report filed for her gubernatorial campaign on Dec. 30.

Her campaign spent nothing on the general election last quarter.

In the primary election, Rutledge reported raising $308,214.21 and spending $10,685.73, leaving a balance of $297,528.48.

Of those primary contributions, one was for $144,865.80, which the filing said was a “Continuation of Previous Campaign Filings.”

In a news release, Rutledge said that she had reported three-quarters of $1 million in her fourth-quarter report.

“I’m so thankful for the financial support and overwhelming encouragement from Arkansans all across our great State,” she said.

Campaign manager Drew Evans said in an email Wednesday that all of the donors to the gubernatorial campaign were notified and given the opportunity to request a refund.

“The few who did received a full refund,” Evans said.

Rutledge is one of six Republicans seeking the party’s nomination for lieutenant governor, along with businessman Chris Bequette of Little Rock, state Surgeon General Greg Bledsoe of Little Rock, state Sen. Jason Rapert of Conway, former state Republican Party Chairman Doyle Webb of Benton and Washington County Judge Joseph Wood of Fayetteville.

The filing period for candidates for state and federal offices in Arkansas is scheduled for Feb. 22 through March 1, with the primary election on May 24 and general election on Nov. 8.

Arkansas’ lieutenant governor is a part time position that pays $46,704.50 annually.

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 more than $60,000 this quarter, outpacing her opponent by a large amount.

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

The judicial candidate from Benton reported raising $60,875 this quarter with $10,624.97 in expenditures, leaving her campaign with $60,477 at the close of the reporting period.

Casady received 104 donations of more than $50, with several of them coming from employees at Everett Automotive Industry.

Wendy Wood, a Little Rock attorney and law clerk for Vaught, also announced last year her intention to run for Vaught’s seat.

Wood raised $27,250 in monetary contributions in the fourth quarter for her 2022 campaign, according to filings with the secretary of state’s office.

Wood listed $2,076.09 in expenditures, leaving the campaign with a balance of $25,184.49.

Wood received 84 donations of more than $50 from contributors ranging from lawyers to retirees to employees of food services companies.

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 $7,850 this quarter. She listed $529.69 in expenditures, leaving her campaign with a balance of $7,950 at the close of the reporting period.

Thyer received 18 donations total, with much of it coming from various law firms, but the largest contribution was a $2,000 donation from Richard Baughn with Richard Baughn Construction.

Arkansas Court of Appeals Judge Kenneth Hixson, who serves in District 3, Position 2, reported raising $11,950 in the fourth quarter for his reelection campaign.

The judge from Fayetteville listed $1,000 in expenditures and a $10,000 loan to bring his campaign balance to $20,950 at close of the reporting period. He received six donations this quarter, but several of them were $2,900 each.

Hixson was first elected in 2012 and served for two years, then was elected to his current eight-year term in 2014.

The Arkansas Court of Appeals is the state’s intermediate appellate court. Its judges are paid $184,497.03 annually. The court’s chief judge is paid $187,311.57 a year.

The court consists of 12 judges who serve staggered eight-year terms.

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2022-01-20T08:00:00.0000000Z

2022-01-20T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://edition.arkansasonline.com/article/282046215471600

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