By Staff Reporter |
Governor Katie Hobbs has prioritized the fundraising of millions of dollars to flip the state legislature over to Democrats over the governance of the state.
According to the campaign finance records, Hobbs’ gubernatorial campaign has collected over $2.6 million from 2023 through March: just over $2.1 million in 2023, and nearly $468,000 from January through March of this year.
Campaign totals from April through the present of this year weren’t yet available on the campaign finance reporting website.
Out of the over 27,800 individual contributions Hobbs’ campaign received from last year through this March, around 8,600 were from out of state.
The top donors since Hobbs took office last year include $10,800 contributions from AFSCME People, United Here PAC, UFCW Local 99 PAC, AZ CWA State Council PAC, and USAA Employee PAC.
The second-highest level of contributions were around 180 individual contributions of $5,400 donations, and about 30 individual contributions of $5,000.
Several organizations and entities also donated sums of $5,400: Moms Fed Up, Smart TD PAC, JP Morgan Chase & Co Arizona PAC, the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, Gila River Indian Community, Tohono O’Odham Nation, Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community, DRIVE Committee (the Political Action Committee of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters), Pattern Energy Group PAC, Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters Issues Committee, Molina Healthcare PAC, Salt River Project, Realtors of Arizona PAC, Arizona Dispensaries Association PAC, Boilermakers-Blacksmiths Leap, Amalgamated Transit Union – Cope.
Other high-level donations included the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association PAC, $5,000; Republic Services, $4,400; American Airlines PAC, $3,000; and UNS Energy Corporation PAC , $2,500; Wells Fargo; Arizona Employee PAC, $2,500; and American Property Casualty Insurance, $2,400.
Hobbs told Capitol Media Services that her position of authority created “the perfect storm” to secure the state legislature for her party.
“This is the first time we’ve been this close and had a Democratic governor,” said Hobbs. “And this is what I’m focused on this election is governing majorities who will work with me.”
Fundraising emails from the Hobbs campaign focused on securing greater legalization of abortion in the state.
Hobbs has vetoed around 200 Republican-led bills since taking office last year.
Democrats haven’t held a trifecta in nearly 60 years. The Republicans hold a slim majority in both the House and Senate: 31 out of 60 seats in the former, 16 out of 30 seats in the latter.
Hobbs’ campaign manager, Nicole DeMont, bragged that Hobbs had collected millions in her first year as governor while her predecessor, Doug Ducey, collected only about $160,000.
The millions excludes the excess in donations (estimated over $1.5 million) to Hobbs’ much-scrutinized inauguration fund, which DeMont established as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit.
The Arizona Secretary of State has a complete list of all candidates eligible to appear on the ballot.
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