By Rob Moritz
Arkansas News Bureau

LITTLE ROCK — Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe more than doubled the campaign fundraising of Republican opponent Jim Keet in August and finished the month with $2.5 million on hand. Keet had $9,000 in the bank.

Today was the deadline for submitting August campaign finance reports to the secretary of state’s office.

Beebe, who gained the endorsements of 73 of 75 county sheriffs in the state Wednesday, reported raising $375,175 during the month and spending $918,194, $724,815 of it on television advertising, none of which has aired. Overall, the governor has raised $4.1 million for his campaign for a second term.

Keet, a Little Rock businessman and former state legislator, has raised $236,463 overall, including $80,572 in August.

The campaign also took out two $50,000 loans at Delta Trust & Bank in Little Rock last month, and Keet loaned the campaign another $3,990, his report showed.

It showed Keet spent $222,922, $135,000 of that on television advertising, and had $9,083 in the bank at the end of the month.

In the lieutenant governor’s race, state Sen. Shane Broadway, the Democratic nominee, reported raising $100,754 and spending $15,750 in August. His campaign had $292,299 cash on hand at the end of the month.

His Republican opponent, Rogers businessman Mark Darr, reported raising $14,150 in August and spending $20,567, leaving him with $56,232 cash on hand.

Also today, Pat O’Brien, the Democratic nominee for secretary of state, reported raising $76,240 last month and spending $5,790. He had $87,436 in the bank at the end of August.

Republican Mark Martin, who faces O’Brien in the Nov. 2 general election, raised $17,512, spent $1,397 and had $44,619 in the bank.