Senator Pearce Raised 3 Times More Money in Losing Effort

December 09, 2011

Former Senate President Russell Pearce spent more than a quarter million dollars in his bid to retain his seat.  His latest campaign finance report shows Pearce received 31-thousand dollars in donations over the last three weeks of the election.  From Phoenix, KJZZ’s Paul Atkinson reports.

Senator Pearce raised more than three times the amount of money than the candidate who beat him—Jerry Lewis.  Most of Lewis’s money came from donors within legislative district 18.  Pearce’s post-election campaign finance report shows most of his money came from outside the district—from throughout Arizona and more than 20 other states.  John Romanin gave the maximum – $424.  He’s a native Arizonan who now lives in Alexandria, Virginia.

JOHN ROMANIN  “I donated because I supported what he was trying to accomplish and that is simply to enforce the law.”

Romanin says he admired Pearce’s willingness to take a stand as a legislative leader.  That polarizing leadership style was one reason why voters said they cast their ballots for Jerry Lewis—who won the recall election by a 12-percent margin.  For KJZZ, I’m Paul Atkinson

Find out who gave money and what was spent by the campaigns by clicking on the campaign finance reports below.

Russell Pearce Post-Election Campaign FInance Report

Russell Pearce Pre-Election Campaign FInance Report

Jerry Lewis Post-Election Campaign FInance Report

Jerry Lewis Pre-Election Campaign FInance Report