Rise of PACs Run by Elected Officials 

 There has been a recent increase of political action committees (PACs) run by or overseen by elected officials. This includes the sitting Arkansas Governor, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the Attorney General Tim Griffin, and several state legislators. This is not a new thing, as former Governor Asa Hutchinson has a PAC that he used during his tenure as Governor, and former Governor Mike Huckabee has an active PAC he routinely uses to donate to candidates in both Arkansas and around the country.

Arkansas campaign finance laws prohibit small businesses and corporations from donating directly to state candidates, so they must give through political action committees. In 2023, the contribution cap was increased from $5,000 to $10,000 per calendar per person (business/entity). There is no limit to the number of PACs to which a business/entity may donate.

The incoming House Speaker Rep. Brian Evans (R – Cabot) and Senate President Bart Hester(R – Cave Springs) both have at least one PAC. PACs can give to other PACs or candidates for office. Recently, Mike Wickline of the Arkansas Democrat Gazette profiled some of these PACs and their relationship with Solution Tree, a government contractor who received no-bid government contracts for teacher professional development. 

When we talk about elected officials, money, power, and transparency, it is always a good idea to follow the money.

 Here is a breakdown of the list of current elected officials’ PACs: 

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