With no restrictions on corporate or labor spending for candidates in Missouri, some candidates for state office have been able to raise millions of dollars.
Even though Governor Jay Nixon, a Democrat, called for strict limits on political donations in his "State of the State" speech in January, he has collected numerous big checks, mainly from labor unions and trial lawyers.
In his finance report filed in January, Gov. Nixon received $1.3 million in contributions during the last quarter of 2011. His single largest gift was $50,000 from the Autoworkers UAW Region 5 PAC in Hazelwood. He also received $50,000 from a businessman at Neosho and another $50,000 from a broker at Red Carpet Real Estate.
Other contributions included:
AT&T Missouri Employee PAC (Political Action Committee) - $25,000
The Accurso Law Firm, Kansas City - $25,000
Burns & McDonnell, Kansas City - $25,000
Brown & Crouppen, PC - $25,000 (2012 contribution)
United Steelworkers District 11, Minneapolis, Mn. - $10,000
AT&T Missouri Employee PAC (Political Action Committee) - $25,000
The Accurso Law Firm, Kansas City - $25,000
Burns & McDonnell, Kansas City - $25,000
Brown & Crouppen, PC - $25,000 (2012 contribution)
United Steelworkers District 11, Minneapolis, Mn. - $10,000
Even a relatively unknown candidate like Dave Spence, who is running as a Republican against Gov. Jay Nixon, is able to be a viable candidate with enough money.
Spence, 53, who announced his candidacy in November, has already raised $2.37 million. As the president of Alpha Packaging, a plastics manufacturing company, he is using $2 million of his own money, but was also able to secure donations from other corporations, as well as his own employees.
So far, he has received $100,000 from The Koman Group and $100,000 from Robert O’Brien at OB Capital. Other contributions included $25,000 from Big Sky Properties LLC and $65,000 from employees of Alpha Packaging.
Spence is a first-time candidate for public office, but has already aired television commercials in his campaign.
A third candidate running for governor is Bill Randles, a Republican from Kansas City. Without the clout of a governor’s title or the connections of a prominent businessman, he has so far raised just $15,867 in contributions, with the largest donation of $5,000 from an individual in real estate management from Poplar Bluff.
Ed Martin, who tried to unseat U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan in 2010, is trying to defeat Attorney General Chris Koster this year. Martin, a Republican, has received numerous donations this year, including $10,000 from August Busch III and $10,000 from Missourians for Matt Blunt. He also received $13,500 from two other individuals, $6,000 from Drury Development Corporation, $5,000 from D. John Sauer with the U.S. Dept. of Justice Attorney’s office and $5,000 from an individual at Quadrant Property.
As required by Missouri law, single contributions in excess of $5,000 must be reported to the Missouri Ethics Commission within 48 hours.
Attorney General Koster, a Democrat, raised $137,000 in the last quarter of 2011, but has about $1.3 million on hand.
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