Karrin Taylor Robson spends nearly $2M in July, loans campaign another $1.85M
Jul 25, 2022, 3:00 PM
PHOENIX – If Republican Karrin Taylor Robson falls short in her bid to defeat Kari Lake in the fast-approaching Arizona governor’s primary, it won’t be for a lack of spending.
Taylor Robson spent nearly $2 million in the first half of July, four times more than Lake, and loaned herself another $1.85 million, according to pre-primary campaign finance reports.
Taylor Robson loaned her campaign $750,000 on July 5 and $1.1 million on July 8, bringing her self-funding total to $15.2 million, according to her report for July 1-16, which was due to the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office by Saturday.
Taylor Robson had more than $1.9 million in expenditures for the final required reporting period before the Aug. 2 primary, while Lake spent about $417,000.
That was after Taylor Robson spent about $10.4 million to Lake’s $1.4 million from April through June.
Over the entire campaign, Taylor Robson has outspent Lake $18.4 million to $3.6 million.
The new finance reports show the candidates nearly even in remaining cash on hand, with Taylor Robson at $267,000 and Lake at $261,000. But Taylor Robson can likely go to the well for more self-financing during the mad dash to Election Day.
Taylor Robson, who entered the race as a relatively unknown housing developer and member of the Arizona Board of Regents, has used her family wealth to boost her profile and try to catch Lake. Her husband, 91-year-old Ed Robson, amassed a fortune building master-planned retirement communities.
While the Donald Trump-endorsed former local TV news anchor has been leading in the polls throughout the race, Taylor Robson has made up ground and been embraced by establishment Republicans.
She’s endorsed the man she wants to succeed, term-limited governor Doug Ducey, and campaigned last week alongside former Vice President Mike Pence on the same day Trump rallied for Lake and his endorsed candidates in Arizona.
