方舟小石城。——前白宫新闻秘书萨拉·桑德斯(Sarah Sanders)周四的竞选团队表示，她已经为竞选阿肯色州下一任州长筹集了近500万美元，打破了该州季度筹款的纪录。
桑德斯的竞选团队表示，今年前三个月筹集的480多万美元中，大部分来自州外捐助者。超过150万美元来自阿肯色人。桑德斯的竞选活动于1月份发起，称该季度在阿肯色州举行了50多次活动。
桑德斯在她的竞选团队发布的一份声明中说:“我们限制政府、促进教育和机会的信息显然引起了共鸣。”
桑德斯在明年的共和党初选中与司法部长莱斯利·拉特利奇(Leslie Rutledge)竞争，接替连任两届的共和党州长阿萨·哈钦森(Asa Hutchinson)，后者因任期限制而被禁止寻求连任。共和党副州长蒂姆·格里芬在桑德斯加入州长竞选大约两周后退出了竞选，现在正在竞选司法部长。
桑德斯的筹款黯然失色据报道，她在同一时期筹集了约19.8万美元，自去年发起竞选活动以来，已经筹集了120万美元。拉特利奇的竞选团队表示，她80%的捐款来自阿肯色州的捐助者。
“我仍然致力于让阿肯色州成为第一，我将永远更关心史密斯堡、杰克逊维尔、琼斯博罗和派恩布拉夫发生的事情，而不是纽约和佛罗里达州”拉特利奇在一份声明中说。
桑德斯是前阿肯色州州长迈克·哈克比的女儿，2019年作为前总统唐纳德·特朗普的首席女发言人离开白宫。她在1月份通过一段在线视频开始竞选州长，这段视频突出了这位前总统，并呼应了他的言论，承诺在这个红色固体的州与“激进左翼”作战。
两位民主党人苏帕·赛普拉斯-梅斯和詹姆斯·罗斯·拉塞尔也将在明年竞选州长。
她的竞选团队表示，桑德斯已经举办了两场以特朗普为主角的筹款活动。她的竞选团队说，她手头上有大约380万美元的现金用于竞标，她报告说在这个季度花了大约94.3万美元。
Sarah Sanders raises nearly $5M for Arkansas governor's race
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Former White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders' campaign on Thursday said she has raised nearly $5 million in her bid to be Arkansas' next governor, breaking the record for quarterly fundraising in the state.
Sanders' campaign said the majority of the more than $4.8 million raised during the first three months of the year came from out-of-state donors. More than $1.5 million came from Arkansans. Sanders' campaign, which launched in January, said it held more than 50 events in Arkansas during the quarter.
“Our message of limiting government and advancing education and opportunity is clearly resonating," Sanders said in a statement released by her campaign.
Sanders is running against Attorney General Leslie Rutledge in next year's Republican primary to succeed two-term GOP Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who is barred by term limits from seeking reelection. Republican Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin dropped out of the governor's race about two weeks after Sanders joined it and is now running for attorney general.
Sanders' fundraisingeclipsed Rutledge, who reported about $198,000 raised during the same period and has raised $1.2 million since she launched her campaign last year. Rutledge's campaign said 80% of her donations have come from Arkansas contributors.
“I remain committed to making Arkansas first and will always be more concerned about what is happening in Fort Smith, Jacksonville, Jonesboro and Pine Bluff rather than in New York andFlorida," Rutledge said in a statement.
The daughter of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Sanders left the White House as former President Donald Trump's chief spokeswoman in 2019. She launched her bid for governor in January with an online video that prominently featured the former president and echoed his rhetoric, promising to fight the “radical left" in the solidly red state.
Two Democrats, Supha Xayprasith-Mays and James “Rus” Russell, are also running for governor next year.
Sanders has had two fundraising events featuring Trump, her campaign said. Her campaign said she had about $3.8 million cash on hand for her bid and she reported spending about $943,000 during the quarter.
