The latest filings with the Missouri Ethics Committee show active campaign spending in the local and state office primaries.
Incumbent District 16 State Senator Justin Brown leads the pack on revenue and expenditure. A July 24 filing with the Ethics Committee by Brown’s team Justin Brown panel lists $153,752.70 in total spend for that election, including $47,594.70 spent during that period and $106,158 prior to that period. Brown’s committee raised $153,464 from this election, with $75,081.24 in cash at the period end and no debt.
For the August 2 primary, the MEC filing dates for disclosure of campaign finance were July 15 for a quarterly report and Monday, eight days before the election. Candidates must also submit 30 days after the election. The MEC requires candidates to disclose and submit those who have donated to the campaign and expenses.
Click here to view the full reports including revenue streams and expenses
According to the MEC, disclosure of campaign finance is required when individuals, groups and organizations receive contributions (cash or in kind) and/or make expenditures (paid or incurred) to support or oppose candidates or electoral activities. The law requires records to be kept and reports made on these activities, even when a candidate’s own money is used.
If a candidate receives over $500 in contributions from others or spends over $1,000 of their own money, they must form a committee and report to the MEC. Any candidate who fails to come forward faces fines and criminal charges.
A July 25 motion for Brown’s Republican challenger, 123rd Congressman Suzie Pollock, shows her Suzie Pollock Friends Committee spent $58,315.86 for that election. This number includes $10,706.98 during this period and $47,608.88 before this period. Pollock’s committee raised $92,146.64 in this election, with cash on hand at the end of the period of $28,223.17 and $25,000 in campaign debt.
Democrat Tara Anura’s committee to elect Tara Anura filed a statement of limited activities with no details on donations and spending.
• Democrat Lisa M. McCarthy leads spending among candidates for District 122 in the Missouri House of Representatives. A July 25 ethics report by her committee on the election of Lisa McCarthy shows that $5,573.98 was spent on that election, including $463.65 during this period and $5,110.33 before this period. McCarthy’s committee raised $12,898 in this election, with cash on hand at the end of the period of $4,831.74 and campaign debt of $30.72.
• Tara Peters cites Republican spending for the District 122 seat. A July 25 ethics report by her We the People for Tara J. Peters committee shows total expenditures for this election as $6,307.45, including $343.18 during this period and $5,964.27 prior to this period. The Peters Committee raised $9,333.76 in this election, with $3,026.31 in cash at the end of the period and $5,983.76 in campaign debt.
• A July 25 ethics report for Randy K. Barr’s “Committee to Elect Randy Barr, State Representative” shows total expenditures for that election of $3,161.45, including $800 spent during the period and $2,361.45 USD prior to this period. Barr’s committee raised $3,399.20 in this election, with $237.75 in cash at the end of the period and $2,490.95 in campaign debt.
• Incumbent State Representative Bennie Cook leads spending in the District 143 race. His Bennie Cook for State Representative Committee shows total spending of $13,412.32 in that election, including $2,957.09 in that period and $10,455.23 prior to that period. Cook’s committee raised $28,936.95 in this election, with $24,915.85 in cash at the end of the period and $578.41 in campaign debt.
• Cook’s Republican challengers, Philip Lohmann and Christopher Davis, each filed a statement of limited activity with no disclosure of donations or expenses.
• A July 21 ethics report provided by Democrat Bernadette Holzer’s Holzer for Missouri Committee shows total spending of $1,129 for this election, all within the last period. Holzer’s committee raised $1,338 in this election, with $9 available in cash and excluding campaign debt at the end of the period.
• Incumbent District 120 State Assemblyman Ron Copeland, according to a July 25 filing with the Ethics Committee by Copeland’s Citizens for Ron Copeland team, lists Copeland’s total expenses for this election as $56,141.62, including $4,688.10, issued during this period and $51,453.52 issued prior to this period. The Copeland Committee raised $77,213.09 with cash on hand at the period end of $17,128.75 and no debt.
• Republican Matthew Williams is Copeland’s only challenger. Williams Committee-Elect Matthew S. Williams filed a statement of limited activity with no details on donations and expenses.
Assistant Circuit Judge 25th Circuit – Division 1
The only contested county-level race in the August primary concerns the Republican nomination for the Associate Circuit Judge of the 25th Circuit—Division 1.
• A July 22 ethics report by the incumbent Kenneth Clayton’s Ken Clayton reelection committee shows total expenses for that election of $7,845, including $2,985 during this period and $4,860 prior to this period. Clayton’s committee raised $11,986.81 in this election, with $4,255.66 in cash at the end of the period and $6,485.03 in campaign debt.
• Challenger Andrew Russek’s Citizens for Andrew Russek filed a limited activity statement with the Ethics Committee on July 26, making no mention of donations or expenses.
Dent County Chairman Commissioner
• According to a motion filed Monday by Republican challenger Craig Smith’s team committee to elect Craig Smith as presiding commissioner, Smith’s total expenses for that election are $2,160.44. Smith raised $2,340 with $179.56 in cash at the end of the period and is not in debt.
• Acting Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles and candidate Travis Fulton have not listed committees on the MEC website due to budget constraints.
Dent County County Clerk
• Dent County Circuit Clerk candidate Kristi Craig had total expenditures of $4,780.62 in this election, raising $5,289 in cash at the end of the period at $779.16 and total debt of $270.78.
• Craig’s opposition, Lisa Blackwell, had total expenses of $6,040.76, total income of $12,688, cash of $3,234.24 and total debt of $5,300 at the end of the period.