Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Elections

With big lead, Orr still raising money in District 3 Senate race

Libertarian challenger Rick Chandler criticized Alabama’s lack of limitations on campaign contributions.

State Sen. Arthur Orr

It would appear that Republican incumbent Sen. Arthur Orr, Decatur, has a clear path to victory in the general election.

Like many Republicans, he is up only against a Libertarian candidate on the ballot. But that candidate, Rick Chandler, has not met the threshold to even report campaign finances yet.

Orr, meanwhile, brought in $12,675 in cash contributions in just one week in October, adding to a beginning balance of more than $982,000.

In August and September, Orr brought in another $40,000, but has not spent a cent in that time.

“This situation reflects the unfortunate situation of Alabama politics, a culture where lobbyists, special interest groups, and PACs continue to exert massive influence over our political leaders to the detriment of our economy, our educational system, and our basic freedoms as Americans,” Chandler said. “The process should focus more on the candidate’s positions and plans for leading the state. The current system discourages fairness, and it is shown repeatedly when incumbent candidates refuse to engage in debates and explain their visions to the voters, because they will simply outspend their opponents in advertising and at various political functions.”

Other states offer a variety of limitations on campaign contributions, but they are unrestricted in Alabama.

Orr isn’t alone in stockpiling campaign contributions – Kay Ivey brought in $316,000 in September alone in her reelection bid for governor and Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth has more than $1.2 million.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

“While not all politicians are blatantly corrupt, there is most definitely an expected behavior for those officeholders who have willingly accepted large sums of money as part of the campaign process,” Chandler said.

Orr did not respond to APR when asked for comment on this story.

Jacob Holmes is a reporter. You can reach him at [email protected]

Advertisement
Advertisement

More from APR

Elections

Katherine Robertson’s dark money haul exposes Leonard Leo’s plan to install loyalist AGs—raising questions about transparency, power, and political loyalty in Alabama.

Elections

Republican candidate for attorney general Katherine Robertson reported another sizable donation from conservative nonprofit First Principles Action Inc.

News

The Georgia-based PAC was charged with failing both to register as an independent committee and to report dozens of expenditures.

Featured Opinion

Financial activity tied to Andrew Sorrell’s consulting firm and PAC raises questions about Alabama’s lax disclosure rules and enforcement.