Taylor top spender in race for sheriff

Hoping to unseat three-time incumbent Sheriff Jackie Matheny and return to the office he held almost 20 years ago, former sheriff Kenny Taylor has outspent the incumbent nearly 3 to 1 according to the latest campaign disclosure reports.

In the report, Taylor?s papers reveal he took in and spent $9,457, with his largest single expenditure being $3,125 for T-shirts and related campaign material. Matheny took in $3,842 and spent $2,748, his largest single expenditure being for campaign signs.

The report reflects money taken in and spent from February until early this month. The pair will submit another finance report later this month as the state?s new campaign reform law now requires a second pre-primary accounting for money taken in and spent during the month of April.

While outspent during the early days of the campaign for county executive, incumbent Kenneth Rogers rebounded during the spring push by outspending his opponent, John Pelham, by a wide margin.

According to the report on spending from February to April, Rogers took in $9,294 and spent $9,394, his biggest expenditure being $3,400 for signs. Meanwhile Pelham took in $5,937 and spent $6,155, his biggest expenditure being $1,153 for signs.

Although being outspent this period, Pelham, who started his campaign almost a year ago, still holds an edge in the amount spent as he spent $6,353 according to the February accounting period while Rogers had spent nothing up to February.

In the race for county court clerk, Larry Terry led the way in spending as he took in and spent $7,506, just ahead of the next highest spender Brent Brock, who took in $7,120 and spent $6,884.

In most cases, the lion?s share of a candidate?s money in the ?taken in? column is their own money, especially in the cases of the county offices like court clerk and trustee.

County clerk candidate Chuck Mayfield, who led in spending in February, was third this period, taking in $1,872 and spending $4,066. He was just ahead of Randy England who took in $4,300 and spent $3,970 and Diane Elledge Starkey who took in $5,354 and spent $3,727.

Rickey Elkins was far back of the pack taking in and spending $1,493, while Jackie D. Pelham was last in spending taking in and spending $162.

For the office of trustee, a new top spender was recorded as Darlene Reagan Bryant took in $3,940 and spent $2,737. She was ahead of Donna Pelham who took in $1,100 and spent $1,505. Pelham led the way in the first reporting period spending $4,300.

Anita Nunley was third taking in $2,450 and spending $2,392, nearly the same as she did in the first reporting period in February. David Vandagriff was last in spending, taking in $924 and spending $724.

As for offices not to be contested until August, the road superintendent race had the most spending with incumbent Harold Glenn spending $2,737 compared to $2,131 spent so far by his challenger Vernice Dunlap.

District attorney candidates file on the state level since they represent two separate counties, those being Warren and Van Buren. Their accounting was not available at press time.