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Staff on Arizona Republican Blake Masters’ congressional campaign shared inaccurate and misleading fundraising numbers with Fox News Digital final month forward of submitting a campaign finance report with the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
Masters’ campaign instructed Fox News Digital on Jan. 24 that the enterprise capitalist and conservative firebrand had raised $1.3 million in simply the primary two months after saying his candidacy for Arizona’s eighth Congressional District, however that quantity was too excessive by almost $200,000. Additionally, the campaign didn’t disclose that the overwhelming majority of that sum — $1 million — was a private mortgage from the candidate.
Masters’ FEC submitting exhibits he solely raised $1.16 million, not $1.3 million, from Oct. 26, when he formally launched his campaign, to Dec. 31, the top of the submitting interval. Of the $1.16 million, solely $75,000 got here in as contributions from people, whereas $88,000 got here from Masters Victory Committee, a joint fundraising committee.
Then-Republican Arizona Senate nominee Blake Masters smiles on stage previous to a televised debate with Arizona Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly and Libertarian candidate Marc Victor in Phoenix, Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Masters’ $1 million greenback mortgage got here on Dec. 28, simply days earlier than the top of the submitting interval. Without the mortgage, the campaign would have solely raised round $163,000.
“I am honored by the support and trust placed in me by so many great people, including many supporters from my run for Senate as well as new donors who want to see more strong conservatives in Washington … The trust placed in me by so many gives us over $1M to spread this message and earn the GOP nomination,” Masters instructed Fox News Digital after his campaign reported the misleading information.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Masters’ campaign for remark.
HISPANIC COMMUNITY LEADER RAISES BIG BUCKS IN QUEST TO FLIP DEM-CONTROLLED BORDER CONGRESSIONAL SEAT
Then-Republican Arizona Senate candidate Blake Masters speaks at a campaign occasion on the eve of the first, additionally attended by gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake on the Duce bar on August 01, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Masters first gained nationwide title recognition after popping out on prime in a contentious main race for Senate in 2022. He finally misplaced that race to Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and was reportedly contemplating working for Senate once more in 2024 earlier than deciding to run for Congress as an alternative.
Elections analysts view Arizona’s eighth Congressional District, which encompasses a bit of the northern Phoenix suburbs, as a secure Republican seat. It’s at the moment represented by Republican Rep. Debbie Lesko, who introduced final yr she wouldn’t search re-election.
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Masters faces a crowded main subject that features former Rep. Trent Franks, who beforehand represented Arizona’s 2nd and eighth Congressional Districts for a mixed seven phrases, state Sen. Anthony Kern, state Rep. Ben Toma, and former Maricopa County prosecutor Abraham Hamadeh.
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