Contributions to the Arizona Republican Party this year have skidded to their lowest level in at least 18 years, leading the organization to burn through most of its cash, new campaign finance records show.

That's problematic for a party that finds itself rebuilding after a series of campaign losses last year and ahead of next year's Senate contest, which is expected to be among the fiercest battles in the country.

Under controversial new party chair Kelli Ward, the state GOP raised $89,000 in the first quarter this year. At the same point in 2017, the party had pulled in $347,000. Since 2003, the party had averaged $278,000 in first-quarter fundraising in the year before general elections, an Arizona Republic analysis of campaign finance data showed.

Ward's far-right politics and the many controversies linked to her two cash-strapped insurgent Senate runs in 2016 — against incumbent Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. — and 2018 — against then-Rep. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., and former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio — gave some elected Republicans and party activists concern that she would guide the party into similar trouble in 2020.

Ward, a former state senator from Lake Havasu City, has been on the state's political scene for years. She is a celeb of sorts among the more right-of-center faction of the party but moderates tend to see her as a menace.

Her associations with controversial figures on the right could also be haunting her, such as Paul Nehlen, a self-described "Pro-White" Wisconsin congressional candidate who was disavowed by the GOP, and conspiracy-theorist Alex Jones of InfoWars.com.

She drew negative headlines around the nation after she suggested last year that a statement by McCain's family about ending treatment for brain cancer was timed to interfere with her Senate campaign's momentum. He died hours after her comment.

At least for now, it appears GOP benefactors have closed their wallets to the state party under Ward's leadership.

Zachery Henry, the state GOP spokesman, said he expects fundraising to tick up based on party officials' contacts in recent weeks with prospective donors. He noted that most of the party's spending happened before Ward took office on Jan. 26.

Wes Gullett, a GOP consultant, said the numbers are a reflection of her "outsider" status. The organization's fundraising capacity was disrupted during the transition, he said, and long-time donors are looking for stability.

"She made a point that it was going to be a radical change from the status quo, and ... it's just the wrong way," Gullett said. "Institutional funders, for Republicans anyway, they like stability. ...The establishment holds the money and they're holding it close and are waiting to see what she's going to be like."

Tyler Montague, a Republican consultant who pitches some of the same donors for conservative groups, said Ward didn't start with the trust of the big donors who would normally be donating to the state party.

"She has a credibility deficit that she has to make up," Montague said. "Everybody wants her to be successful of the party ... but the very first thing she did out of the gate was attack the governor on tax conformity."

Gov. Doug Ducey in February vetoed a measure passed by the GOP-controlled Legislature that would have reduced the state tax burden on Arizonans from conforming to federal tax changes.

Numerous donors declined to talk to the newspaper candidly about why they were not yet contributing to the party under Ward.

The state party is responsible for helping elect Republicans, raising money, registering voters and energizing the GOP base. It typically works in tandem with other groups, like the Republican National Committee, to inform voters about key races or candidates.

Rick Gorka, spokesman for the RNC, said the national party and President Donald Trump's re-election campaign have "a great relationship" with the state party.

He added: "There is no doubt in my mind that we will have the resources to win in 2020."

Arizona Republicans are trying to regroup after they lost the 2018 Senate race to Democrat Kyrsten Sinema, and three other statewide offices to Democrats. It was the first time Democrats had won any statewide contest in 10 years and the first Senate triumph for that party since 1988. Democrats' 2018 statewide pick-ups included the secretary of state, public-schools superintendent, and Corporation Commissioner.

After finishing second last year in Arizona's Senate GOP primary election, Ward mounted a campaign to become the Arizona Republican Party chairwoman. In late January, she ousted incumbent Jonathan Lines, the establishment favorite and more moderate figure.

In doing so,the party activists and insiders chose a more right-wing vision headed into the 2020 election cycle, where Arizona is poised to reach battleground status. Trump won his 2016 campaign by just 3.5 percentage points over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Under Ward, party activists hope to see aggressive championing of Trump, his border wall and the recruitment of precinct committeeman. Lines supported Trump, but many activists thought he favored moderate candidates and business interests over more conservative Republicans.

While cash has been harder to come by, the party's current spending, $448,000 in the first three months of the year, nearly matched its record-setting 2015 pace.

The party's cash reserves have fallen from $416,000 at the beginning of January to $56,000 by the end of March. Much of the money was spent on personnel, consulting and canvassing fees.

The records show that the party under Ward has put on the payroll a woman with a history of writing racist and homophobic comments. Henry, the state party's spokesman, has said she was an unpaid volunteer.

Records show the party paid Shialee Grooman $942.64 on March 29.

Grooman, who is now in her early 20s, tweeted posts that include the N-word and a derogatory term for Hispanics. She also repeatedly tweeted homophobic slurs. She has told the newspapers that the comments don't reflect who she is today.

The party also is $40,000 in debt to the Federal Election Commission for issues that date to Lines' tenure as chairman, and involve matters that pre-date him. That's in line with figures posted several times in recent campaign cycles.

By contrast, the state's Democratic Party has raised $293,000 so far this year and finished with $520,000 in available cash. The party's report is not due to the FEC until April 20.

Reach the reporter Ronald J. Hansen at ronald.hansen@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4493. Follow him on Twitter @ronaldjhansen.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.