$200,000 SPENT IN SCOTT COUNTY PRIMARY

BENTON -- Scott County candidates spent nearly $200,000 in six contested races in the Democratic primary last month.

Candidates spent the money on everything from yard signs to T-shirts, as well as advertising in newspapers, on radio and in some cases even television.

The candidates footed the bill for many of the more than $197,000 in expenses detailed in post-primary campaign finance reports filed with the county clerk's office.

In Scott County, the August primary typically is tantamount to election since it is rare that there is a Republican candidate for county office.

This year, no Republicans ran for county office. Nineteen Democrats were on the ballot in the contested races.

The most expensive race was for associate circuit judge where five candidates spent more than $73,000 combined, campaign finance reports show.

Hense Winchester, a Sikeston lawyer who was appointed by Gov. Mel Carnahan to fill an unexpired term, won election to the bench.

He spent $20,566 in winning the race. He was outspent by Sikeston lawyer Jim Green, whose campaign spent $27,338 -- the most of any candidate in the six races.

Francis Siebert of Chaffee spent $16,300, Jim Pinkston of Benton spent $8,983 and Frank Marshall of Sikeston spent $2,379.

Like other candidates, Winchester took out newspaper ads. He also spent more than $4,400 on television advertising and $2,250 on billboards, according to campaign finance reports.

Green spent thousands of dollars with Media Consultants of Sikeston to promote his candidacy. One of the itemized expenses was for $8,167. He also spent thousands of dollars on political signs.

Media Consultants of Sikeston also was hired by a number of other candidates for county office.

Candidates for the collector's job also spent a lot of money.

Tax consultant Mark Hensley of Sikeston won the race despite being outspent by Sikeston barber Glenn Pinkerton.

Hensley spent $19,380 while Pinkerton spent $25,175. Mickey Holyfield, wife of former treasurer Cotton Holyfield, spent $9,426.

Hensley showed contributions or loans of more than $18,500 to his campaign.

According to his campaign finance reports, he spent more than $1,500 on television advertising, $400 on radio advertising and thousands of dollars on newspaper advertising.

Pinkerton's expenses included nearly $14,000 to Media Consultants for advertising.

Glenda Enderle of Chaffee spent $5,476 in winning the treasurer's race. She was the incumbent, having been appointed by Carnahan to the post after the resignation of Cotton Holyfield.

Benton banker and businessman Dale Stuckey spent more than $6,000 in the treasurer's race through July 23. As of Monday, he hadn't filed his post-election report.

The third candidate in the treasurer's race, Sikeston businessman Joe Fritz, spent just over $1,600.

Oran farmer and businessman Martin Priggel won the job of presiding commissioner, defeating three opponents.

Priggel spent $14,534 in the contest. Most of his funding -- $14,500 -- came in the form of a loan he made to the campaign.

Former state representative and Realtor Dennis Ziegenhorn of Sikeston spent nearly $7,000 in a losing effort.

Southwestern Bell engineer George Morris showed expenses of $3,012 through July 23. As of Monday, he had yet to file a final report on his campaign for presiding commissioner.

The fourth candidate, Joel "Chuck" Bollinger, earlier had filed an exemption indicating that he wouldn't spent over $1,000 in the race. Bollinger didn't actively seek the office after he was hired by the sheriff's department.

County Clerk Rita Milam of Benton won re-election despite being heavily outspent. She spent $3,968.

Her opponent, Nikki Ferrell-Roberds, spent $15,705.

Recorder of Deeds Tom Dirnberger of Oran spent $6,230 in winning re-election. His opponent, Neal Wagley of Sikeston, spent $9,61O.