Aug. 5 primary campaign finance numbers released

Editor's note: The following story has been edited to correct the campaign finance report for Cape Girardeau County recorder of deeds candidate Drew Blattner.

Quarterly fundraising reports have been released for candidates running in the Aug. 5 primary.

The reports are filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission. Candidates are required to report the formation of a campaign committee and any fundraising activities when they receive or spend $500 or more.

The most recent quarterly report covers the period from April 1 through June 30.

Judges

The three candidates hoping to replace William Syler as circuit judge for Circuit No. 32, Division 1, have reported some of the largest fundraising totals among local candidates.

Allen Moss leads the group in total receipts at $92,672.95. His committee reported $51,309.90 on hand. He's followed by Michael Gardner with a total of $83,594.21, but Gardner boasts a higher amount of money on hand at $67,669.82. Trae Bertrand has raised $78,603.61 with $5,887.90 on hand.

Moss is also in the lead for in-kind donations at $21,151,71; followed by Bertrand with $3,938.61; and Gardner with $913.21.

In the associate circuit judge race, Jeffrey Dix has come out ahead of incumbent Gary Kamp in fundraising, with receipts totaling $33,934.06 versus Kamp's $18,307.12. At the close of the reporting period, Dix had $13,678.48 on hand and Kamp $11,095.58.

Funding primarily came from individual contributors, with Dix contributing $3,094.91 in-kind donations to his campaign. Kamp's in-kind donations totaled about $32.

Cape Girardeau City Council

Both candidates in Cape Girardeau's Ward 3 councilman race boast comparatively modest funds in their campaign committees and stand nearly toe-to-toe in fundraising. Evan Trump's reported total was $2,065 with $688.59 remaining on hand by the close of the reporting period. Victor R. Gunn's total receipts equaled $1,950 and his committee reported $675.04 on hand.

Cape Girardeau County Recorder of Deeds

Incumbent Scott R. Clark reported a total of $12,901.56 with $7,173.30 on hand. Drew Blattner reported a total of $13,475 and $6,564.98 on hand.

House of Representatives 147th District

Similarly, only one of the two candidates running in the Democratic primary for the 147th House District has a listed committee. Gary L. Gaines reported a total of $3,000, all from a personal loan, and had $1,982.91 on hand. He faces Blake Hopper on the Aug. 5 ballot in a race for the seat held by Cape Girardeau Republican Kathy Swan.

House of Representatives 148th District

Incumbent Holly Rehder's total receipts came out to $68,570.41 in the most recent report, with $39,582.20 on hand. Challenger Duston Y. Stone's receipts totaled $6,365 and he reported $744.26 on hand.

Rehder had more than a dozen individual contributors, and some of her largest donations of $2,000 and $1,000 came from AT&T Missouri Political Action Committee and Missouri Club for Growth, respectively. Stone appears to be self-financing much of his campaign, based on the latest report. His committee reported no individual contributors but received $500 from CWA District 9 Political Education Committee and $325 from United Transportation Union Political Action Committee.

srinehart@semissourian.com

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