Alan Keyes' Campaign Responds to RPA Filing Fees

by Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: Former Ambassador Alan Keyes did not file as a Republican candidate in Arkansas. We suspected that the reason may have been the high fee established by the Republican Party of Arkansas $15,000 filing fee, previously identified as a "ballot tax" in a prior editorial. Since Mr. Keyes is an outspoken conservative supporter of moral and traditional family values and fundamental Republican principles and ideals, we contacted the Keyes' campaign for comment.

Tom Hoefling, associated with Alan Keys for President campaign, expressed that the $15,000.00 filing fee is excessive. He identified that the only state who had a worse (higher) filing fee is South Carolina which charged $25,000 for candidates who filed before May 2007 and $35,000 for candidates who filed later. South Carolina's filing fee amounts to more than all the other states combined. Excepting the South Carolina fee, the Arkansas fee nearly totals of all other states. Hoefling shared that Alan Keyes for President Campaign is grassroots-driven and not a money-driven campaign. Hoefling said, "I can understand a small fee to offset administrative costs, but the South Carolina and Arkansas fees are way out of line. Access to the ballot is critical to the exercise of our form of self-government. I have yet to find someone who can explain to me how excessive fees to gain ballot access as a candidate is different morally from a poll tax that prevents the citizen from voting."

Representatives Duncan Hunter and Tom Tancredo also did not file as a Republican candidate in Arkansas. We request a comment from the Duncan Hunter campaign but have not received a reply. Rep. Tancredo cited the high RPA filing fee and that he felt former Gov. Mike Huckabee should win his home state. Six candidates filed as Republican presidential candidates in Arkansas. The Republican Party of Arkansas received $90,000 without incurring any costs. The Democrats charged $2500 per candidate and received $20,000 from their eight presidential candidates. In Arkansas, the State pays all the cost for conducting primaries. The fundraising efforts of the RPA resulted in Arkansans being denied the option to vote for three of the most conservative candidates who opted not to pay the second highest filing fee in the United States of America for a Presidential primary. See also: Candidates for February Presidential Primary Election Announced
American's Revival: Alan Keyes for President

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