Patrick Lyons
Republican Pat Lyons can use money left over from his land commissioner campaigns for his current run for a seat on the Public Regulation Commission, The Associated Press is reporting.
That’s according to the Secretary of State’s Office, which told the AP that there’s no problem with the $34,700 that Lyons, the land commissioner, has transferred from that campaign account into his current account for his PRC race.
Lyons’ primary opponent, Robert Corn, has complained to the Secretary of State’s Office that some of the contributions Lyons accepted as land commissioner aren’t allowed in PRC races, so transferring the funds should not be allowed.
Contributions to PRC candidates are capped at $500, while the state currently has no contribution limits for statewide officials including land commissioner. And those whose businesses are regulated by the PRC can’t give anything to commissioners. Corn says Lyons’ transferred funds include contributions larger than $500 and some from PRC-regulated businesses.
The Secretary of State’s Office told the AP that it believes state law allows PRC candidates to use money left over from other races.
Lyons is term limited from seeking re-election to the land office post, which is why he’s running for the District 2 PRC seat. The winner of the GOP primary will face Democrat Stephanie DuBois in November.