Republican Kelly Craft has put almost $9.3 million into her quest to become Kentucky’s governor, according to her latest campaign finance disclosure.
Craft, a former ambassador to the United Nations, loaned her campaign $2.25 million during the April 17-May 1 reporting period. That came on top of a $7 million loan from Craft to her campaign reported last month.
Her campaign reported $46,326 in itemized contributions from others during the most recent period, bringing her overall contributions to $1.6 million.
Craft’s campaign has amassed a whopping $10.9 million in total and reports having a balance of $1.2 million heading into the May 16 primary.
Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s campaign for governor reported it brought in more than $82,000 during the most recent period, raising its overall total to nearly $1.5 million.
The latest report shows Cameron’s campaign spent nearly $335,000 this period, including more than $245,000 on media placements with Flexpoint Media.
Cameron reported a balance of $341,227.
Bluegrass Freedom Action, a PAC backing Cameron, reported Wednesday that it raised nearly $811,000 in the most recent period. It also spent more than $1.02 million.
The PAC reported $750,000 in new contributions from The Concord Fund, a conservative group formerly called Judicial Crisis Network that is headed by Carrie Severino, a former law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
Commonwealth PAC, which is supporting Craft, reported zero contributions this period. The PAC’s previous finance report showed Craft’s husband’s trust contributed $1.5 million to it. Joe Craft is the head of large coal company and often described in media reports as a billionaire. Kelly Craft has since denied knowledge of the donation or any coordination between the campaign and the PAC; such coordination would be illegal.
Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles’ campaign for governor reported bringing in almost $34,000 this period, bringing its overall total to $1.2 million. He reported a balance of $458,432.
Quarles’ newest report shows expenditures of more than $478,000 this period. Almost $311,000 of that was spent on advertising. Quarles’ campaign also spent nearly $33,000 on mailers and almost $59,000 on marketing.
Somerset Mayor Alan Keck’s campaign reported it raised more than $14,000 this period for a campaign total of nearly $326,000. Of its almost $34,000 in expenditures reported this period, Keck’s campaign spent nearly $17,000 on advertising. The Keck campaign reported a balance of $34,555.
Bluegrass Conservatives, a PAC behind Keck, reported $92,500 in contributions. About $62,500 was from Prosperity Alliance, which the Courier-Journal reported is connected to a dark money group, Commonwealth Conservatives LLC, which has run ads in recent state House Republican primaries. Bluegrass Conservatives has spent more than $67,000 this period, with most of that on direct mailers touting Keck.
Suspended Northern Kentucky Attorney Eric Deters reported that his largely self-financed campaign has more than $778,000 and spent more than $765,500. His ending balance was $12,970.42.
According to his 15-day report, Deters spent $75,000 at 859 Print, another $15,000 at News Express and $4,825 at Deters Ink for campaign marketing in April.
State Auditor Mike Harmon’s campaign has garnered more than $85,000, and raised $470 this period, according to his latest finance report. Of those new dollars, $170 were cash contributions made in April. Harmon’s expenditures reported this period, $293.90, were used on dinner tickets and service fees.
Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear’s re-election war chest continued to grow. His latest 15-day finance filing report showed the campaign had raised a total of $6.96 million, with nearly almost $352,000 brought in in the last reporting period. The report shows that it spent more than $143,000 this period.
Heading into the stretch, Republican candidates for governor report these cash balances in their campaigns:
- Kelly Craft — $1,271,558
- Ryan Quarles — $458,433
- Daniel Cameron — $341,227
- Alan Keck — $34,555
- Mike Harmon — $14,630
- Eric Deters — $12,970
This article is republished under a Creative Commons license from Kentucky Lantern, which is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kentucky Lantern maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jamie Lucke for questions: info@kentuckylantern.com. Follow Kentucky Lantern on Facebook and Twitter.
McKenna Horsley covers state politics for the Kentucky Lantern. She previously worked for newspapers in Huntington, West Virginia, and Frankfort, Kentucky. She is from northeastern Kentucky.
