Glidewell ahead of Files, Medley in campaign funds

If cash were truly king in an election, Rep. Frank Glidewell would be a favorite to win the three-person GOP primary for the Arkansas Senate seat (District 13) that represents Fort Smith.

But it’s never that easy in politics.

Glidewell, who is term-limited in his House seat, faces in the GOP primary former state Reps. Jake Files and Jim Medley, both of Fort Smith. The GOP primary (held May 18) for the District 13 Senate seat IS the race because a Democrat did not file.

The most recent campaign finance reports — filed March 15 — show Glidewell with a campaign balance of $35,383. The report shows Glidewell has collected $46,740 in contributions, including at least $13,596 in funds transferred from his previous campaigns, and $11,417 in expenses. One of Glidewell’s expenses was a $150 donation to the campaign of Rep. Stephanie Malone, R-Fort Smith, who is in a GOP primary race against Fort Smith City Director Gary Campbell.

Files reported a campaign balance of $17,423, including $10,000 in personal loans and $13,075 in contributions. His expenses totaled $5,651.

Medley reported a campaign balance of $287.62. That’s a skimpy balance, but Medley has collected $15,795 and spent $30,705, with a good portion of that expense going to the Amelia Group, a consulting company owned by Sandy Pyle. Medley also carried forward a little more than $5,600 from a previous campaign fund and has also loaned his campaign $10,000. (See more campaign finance report details at the end of this story.)

Clearly Glidewell has the cash advantage, and it could be a deciding advantage if the three-person race results in a primary runoff — a likely scenario considering that all three candidates are political veterans with solid bases of support.

The other factor in the race will be grassroots support of the candidate. And it’s in that category where Glidewell’s cash advantage may lessen.

In an election cycle where the sentiment is decidedly against “insiders” at any level, Glidewell is the insider candidate with $22,450 of his campaign contributions (67.7% of the total non-carryover contributions) coming from political action committees (PAC) based in Little Rock or outside of Arkansas. By comparison, Medley reports $6,950 from political action committees and non-local donors, and Files reports just $2,500 — with $2,000 of that coming from a relative living in Richardson, Texas.

“I think the PAC contributions are usually perceived by the voters as paying for votes in advance,” Files said in an e-mail interview with The City Wire. “The vast majority of my contributions have come from local people as opposed to a lot of different PACS sending me checks. I am not beholden to any lobbyist or group and will be an effective vote for Fort Smith.” (Files was the only candidate of the three to respond to an e-mail questionnaire from The City Wire.)

Roby Brock is a political analyst/reporter at TalkBusiness.net, former state Senate candidate and former head of the Arkansas Election Commission. He says a grassroots organization is just as important as cash, but is not sure Glidewell’s overwhelming PAC support will be a negative with voters.

“While opponents have tried to make money raised from outside a district an issue, I’ve never seen it really resonate with voters. They’re more concerned with issues like jobs, taxes, and other campaign-related themes,” Brock said.

Brock said it will take between $40,000 and $50,000 to be competitive in the District 13 race. He also said the “concentrated” geography of the Senate district provides an advantage to those with a better grassroots effort because they can potentially reach more people at a lower cost with a direct mail or door-to-door campaign.

That grassroots focus is OK with Files.

“I am really focused on a grassroots efforts in this Senate race. At the end of the day, it is very difficult to reach every voter in the city of Fort Smith in such a short time frame. You have to have great people working with you who are on board and spreading the word as well. I feel like I have a great team of people behind me, and I am fortunate to have such a strong group that believes in me,” Files noted in the e-mail interview.

Brock is one of those who believes the District 13 Senate race is prime for a runoff election. In a runoff, the grassroots effort is even more important. A runoff requires the candidate to quickly and accurately analyze the precincts to determine strengths and weaknesses and adjust with some targeted mailers to certain zip codes.

“Money gets you to the runoff, but boots on the ground wins the runoff,” Brock said. “Money doesn’t matter as much in a runoff. In a runoff it’s about campaign organization and getting your supporters back to the polls.”

He also said a potential runoff in in the GOP primary for the 3rd Congressional District could have an impact on the District 13 race — especially if the 3rd District runoff includes Fort Smith attorney Gunner DeLay.

“If they (voters) have two runoff races with two people to vote for, then there will be more of an awareness of the runoff,” Brock said. “Then, I would say, it’s really important to have that (grassroots) organization in place to get the voter turnout.”

Campaign Finance Reports (info recent as of March 15)

JAKE FILES
• Outside Contributions
$2,000
Kelly Mitchell, Richardson, Texas

$500
Arkansas Home Builders Political Action Committee, Little Rock

• Regional Contributions
$2,000
Bob Powell, Fort Smith
Bill Walters, Greenwood

$1,000
Jonathan Foster, Alma
Delores Mitchell, Sallisaw
Griffin Properties of Fort Smith

$500
Marty Clark, Fort Smith
Kevin King, Fort Smith
Jammie McClure, Fort Smith

$300
Dane Fulmer, Fort Smith

$250
Hugh Maurras, Fort Smith
Sam T. Sicard, Fort Smith

$200
Gwen and Walter Carter, Fort Smith

$150
Pam, Lindsey and Lyndel Hobbs, Fort Smith

$100
Darlene Burch, Fort Smith
Pam and Mike Carroll, Fort Smith
Ken Colley, Fort Smith
Cindy Crawford, Fort Smith
Jill Cutting, Fort Smith
Mont Echols, Fort Smith
Sally Gean, Fort Smith
Phil Leraris, Fort Smith
Bob Miller, Fort Smith

JIM MEDLEY
• Outside Contributions
$2,000
Arkansas Health Care Senate Public Affairs Committee, Little Rock
Arkansas Health Care Public Affairs Committee, Little Rock

$1,000
Arkansas Health Care House Public Affairs Committee, Little Rock

$600
Construction Advancement Political Action Committee, Little Rock

$500
Caremark RX, Lincoln, R.I.

$250
Southland Racing Corp., West Memphis

$200
John Blanchard, Rison, Ark.
Daniel Kushmaul, Pine Bluff

$100
B.M. Bradshaw, Pine Bluff
Jimmy Lake Plumbing, Pine Bluff

• Regional Contributions
$2,000
Central Arkansas Nursing Centers, Fort Smith
Michael Morton

$1,000
MSM Properties, Fort Smith (same address as Central Arkansas Nursing Centers)

$500
James Busby, Alma
Scott Clark, Fort Smith
Dr. Randy Ennen, Fort Smith
Cody Hayes, Fort Smith

$250
Greg Karber, Fort Smith
Dr. Claire Price, Fort Smith

$200
B.M.T., (initials only; listed as retired businessman in Waldron)

$100
David Cordell, Fort Smith
Dorance Damron, Fort Smith
Michael Helm, Fort Smith
Janet Powell, Ozark
S.D. Wang, Fort Smith
Wilson Satellite & TV Co.

$50
Louis Bastin, Fort Smith

FRANK GLIDEWELL
• Outside Contributions
$2,000
John Warmack, Texarkana
ARSFA-PAC, Little Rock (insurance lobby)
Philip Morris USA, Richmond, Va.
Union Pacific Railroad, Omaha

$1,000
ARPAC, Little Rock (Arkansas Realtors lobby)
ARPAC II, Little Rock (Arkansas Realtors lobby)
Earl Jones, Little Rock
Ed Warmack, Texarkana
Reynolds American, Winston-Salem, N.C.
Stephens Investments Co., Little Rock
SBC Arkansas Employee Political Action Committee, Little Rock
Wilson & Associates, Little Rock

$500
Sammie Cox, Little Rock
Joe Molinaro, Little Rock
Gilbert Baker for U.S. Senate, Lowell
American Electric Power Committee for Responsible Government, Columbus, Ohio
Caremark RX, Lincoln, R.I.
Centerpoint Energy Inc., Houston
BNSF Railway Co., Fort Worth
VOTE, Little Rock
Windstream Political Action Committee, Little Rock

$250
Robert Glidewell
Delray Beach, Fla.
Manufactured Housing Council Political Action Committee, Little Rock
Medco Health Solutions, Franklin Lakes, N.J.
RG Ventures LLC, Little Rock
Southland Racing Corp., West Memphis
Wholesale Beer Distributors of Arkansas, Little Rock

$200
American Insurance Association-Arkansas Political Action Committee, Little Rock

• Regional Contributions
$1,000
James Glidewell, Fort Smith
Robert Miller, Fort Smith
Michael Morton, Fort Smith
Frost Oil Co., Fort Smith

$500
Dr. Carl Friddle, Fort Smith
Dane Fulmer, Fort Smith
Randall Goins, Fort Smith
Joe Larkin, Charleston
Christopher Looper, Huntington
Robert A. Young III, Fort Smith
Armour Heights Nursing Home, Van Buren
Jack Jones Investments Co., Fort Smith
Taylor Management, Fort Smith

$350
Greg Carman, Fort Smith

$300
Carl Davis, Fort Smith

$250
Dr. Cole Goodman, Fort Smith
John Meyers, Fort Smith
JR Young Construction, Fort Smith

$200
Arkansas Glass & Mirror, Fort Smith

$150
John Womack, Fort Smith

$100
Eldon Coffman, Fort Smith
William Dudding, Fort Smith
Curtis Goldtrap Jr., Fort Smith
Thomas Kelly, Fort Smith
Harold McDowell, Fort Smith
David McMahon, Fort Smith

$50
Jim Berry, Fort Smith
William R. Harper, Fort Smith