Carnahan leads campaign finance race

WASHINGTON -- Since declaring his challenge of Democratic Sen. Jean Carnahan five months ago, Republican Jim Talent has built a campaign war chest of $1.32 million, while Carnahan has banked more than twice that amount, $2.76 million.

According to aides from both campaigns, Talent raised $1.79 million in contributions for the six-month filing period ending Dec. 31. Carnahan raised about $4.3 million for the full year, pulling in just under $2 million in the last half of 2001.

Carnahan aides said the campaign canceled several fund-raising events just after the Sept. 11 terror attacks; Talent aides said 70 percent of his funds came in after that date.

One analyst, Campaign Study Group president Dwight Morris, said Talent's fund-raising take surprised him because the Republican had only five months to work.

Still, he said, "Neither candidate is going to have any difficulty in raising money or getting the parties' help."

Federal Election Commission reports are due Thursday.

Talent raised nearly $9 million for his failed gubernatorial bid. That's about the amount spent for each Senate candidate in 2000.