Special interest groups spending money in recall election
Campaign finance reports in the recall election of state Senate President Russell Pearce are trickling in. The latest show what was spent on independent expenditure efforts on behalf of Pearce and his opponent, Jerry Lewis. From Phoenix, KJZZ’s Paul Atkinson reports.
The Secretary of State’s web site shows more than $45,000 has been spent on mailings and ads in support of Senator Pearce. The Washington D.C. based school choice non-profit American Federation for Children spent $21,000 dollars on two mailers touting the Mesa senator. While an Arizona political action committee named Arizona Deserves the Best spent $19,000 on pro-Pearce ads and mailers.
Another Washington D-C based non-profit, Campaign Money Watch, spent $8,700 on mailers against the re-election of Pearce. Citizens for a Better Arizona, the group behind the recall effort, has spent $6,500 canvassing legislative district 18 to inform voters that Olivia Cortes dropped out of the race and asking voters to support Jerry Lewis.
The Mesa educator’s campaign finance report shows he received almost 69-thousand dollars in donations. Pearce and Cortes are required to file their campaign finance reports by 5 pm Thursday.
Browse the Arizona Secretary of State's campaign finance database
