Sen. Joyce Elliott of Little Rock, the Democrat challenging 2nd District Republican Rep. French HIll’s re-election bid, announces another good quarter of fund-raising, better than the entrenched Republican opponent.
She raised more than $600,000 in the second quarter of 2020, putting her over $1 million since she began and has $715,000 on hand.
She raised $460,000 in June alone, with a significant amount from small contributions. The campaign said the average online donation was $42, with many educators contributing to the former school teacher’s effort.
Hill undoubtedly will lead when his report is filed. He had $1.2 million on hand of $1.6 million raised as of March 31. Special interests, led by bankers and financiers, typically power his fund-raising.
The key for Elliott is raising enough to make a decent media showing, but also in enthusing grassroots support. She’s been able to do the latter, thanks particularly to Hill’s record as a Trump sycophant.
An Elliott supporter who heads EMILY’S List noted:
Rep. French Hill (AR-02) voted for the House Republican health care plan to kick 23 million people off their health insurance, voted to defund Planned Parenthood, and voted to undermine equal pay protections for women.
We can replace him with @XJElliott.
— Stephanie Schriock (@Schriock1) July 12, 2020
UPDATE: Hill announced later he’d raised $270,000 in the quarter and has $1.45 million on hand. He sounds a little irked by Elliott’s challenge. His campaign issued a statement:
“While Congressman Hill focused on the critical response to the coronavirus for Arkansans and Americans, including shepherding $6 billion in relief to Arkansas families and small businesses, his Nancy Pelosi/Elizabeth Warren/Kamala Harris-backed opponent was busy tapping the deep pockets of the country’s liberal elite for her own means. She even spent Palm Sunday stuffing her campaign coffers. This should come as no surprise, however, when you consider the fact that Congressman Hill’s opponent has always done whatever it takes to raise a dollar, including taking money from former lobbyist and convicted felon Rusty Cranford.
“These are not the actions that reflect the values of Arkansas’s Second District voters, and in fact, when voters consider her self-serving tactics along with her liberal record on abortion, gun control, higher taxes, and her involvement with radical left-wing groups, they will choose again Congressman Hill to represent them in November.”
A solid page from the Trump misogynist/racist campaign book. Hill has been fighting Democratic aid measures and helping the fat cats who support him. I haven’t found the specifics yet, but I’ll wager the Cranford contributions were made long before his legal troubles were known and were made back when he was funneling bribes and other forms of money to many officials, including several Republicans since indicted or under investigation for ill-gotten gains
And speaking of elites: Look who’s been spending for soirees in elite private clubs in Washington, D.C. None other than French Hill. The Hill article questions the propriety of the spending under FEC rules.