All three of my opponents spent $1000s on consultants leading up to the primary on August 30, 2016.
According to the Secretary of State’s Campaign Finance Database, Ana Henderson, the sole GOP candidate in the LD9 race, spent $6280 (the largest part of her Clean Elections funds) on an ultra-conservative Phoenix-based consultant– Constantin Querard of Grassroots Consulting LLC. His website says that he works for “‘platform Republican[s]’ with uncompromising beliefs in the sanctity of life, pro-family issues, low taxes and the right to keep and bear arms…”
The Capitol Times is quoted on his website as saying, Querard “has helped to create the most conservative Legislature to be seen in years…” The website client list bears this statement out; it’s a who’s who of Cathy Herrod fetal personhood aficionados and NRA backers.
The second biggest chunk of Henderson’s funds– $4800– was spent in Mesa at a non-union sign shop. So– Henderson spent 80% of her $13,908 in Maricopa County. (This is surprising since Henderson often talks about being a former small business owner– like me.)
For comparison purposes, I spent almost all of my $19,806 locally. Except for buying office supplies, party supplies and food at local chain stores, by far, most of my money was spent at small locally-owned businesses. The Gloo Factory– a local union printer– got the largest chunk of my money with $6341; second was National Mailing at $4808; and third was Tucson Local Media at $2224. I spent 68% of my funds ($13,373) with three local businesses. The only non-Tucson businesses that I used were the company that printed the checks for my bank account and the Arizona Democratic Party who gave me access to the Democrats’ giant voter database.
I have a few questions for Ana Henderson…
Continue reading Fun with Campaign Finance: Questions for Ana