COLLECTOR'S RACE COSTLY

Republican Diane Diebold spent $26,472 in winning election to the Cape Girardeau County collector post last fall.

The job pays $47,966 a year.

Diebold outspent Democratic challenger and longtime deputy county clerk Judy Beussink by $9,350.

Beussink spent $17,122 in a losing effort. Her campaign ended up $638 in the hole, campaign finance records show.

The cost figures reflect spending for the primary and general elections combined.

Diebold said she and her husband spent about $11,000 of their own money. The rest came from individual contributors and the local Republican Party.

Beussink spent a lot of her own money, too, including $8,689 in the form of a loan to her campaign for which she wasn't repaid.

Diebold, who takes office March 1, said she and her husband had predicted it would cost more than $20,000 to run for the office.

Still, she wished campaigns weren't so costly.

"I really did not like having to raise money to run," said Diebold.

But she doesn't favor campaign spending limits either, saying: "People should be able to support whoever they want."

Political signs, mailers and newspaper, radio and television advertising are essential for a candidate to gain name-recognition with the voters, she said.

"It takes money to pay for all that," she said.

Although she is related to the owners of Diebold Orchard in Scott County, Diebold said she wasn't well known in Cape Girardeau County prior to running for office.

Diebold said she felt she had to advertise heavily to get her name and qualifications before the voters.

"I really wanted to win," she said. "I really wanted the voters to know me."

In the last month before the November election, Diebold had itemized expenses of close to $9,600.

Beussink had itemized expenses of close to $9,400 during the same period.

Both candidates spent thousands of dollars on newspaper, radio and television advertising in the weeks leading up to the election.

Diebold said she spent close to $5,000 just on mailers to voters.

While Diebold outspent her opponent for the primary and general elections combined, spending was relatively even during the general election.

Diebold outspent Beussink by slightly more than $2,000 in the general election. Diebold spent $12,569 compared to $10,544 for Beussink.

The spending difference was far higher in the primary.

Diebold spent nearly $14,000 in defeating three other candidates in the August primary.

Beussink spent $6,578 in defeating a single opponent in the Democratic primary despite being outspent. Her opponent in that election spent $10,469 in a losing effort.

Beussink, who was out of town Wednesday, said last fall she didn't run radio ads or hire campaign professionals.

"It is hard for me to let go of that money," she said shortly after winning the primary.

In contrast to Beussink, Diebold did run radio ads in the primary campaign.

While both candidates ran television ads, neither ran ads on KFVS-TV.

Diebold said the Federal Election Commission requires broadcast stations like KFVS to give priority to political advertising for federal offices, then state offices and lastly local offices.

Diebold said the Cape Girardeau television station didn't have any time slots available for the collector's race.

In four years, Diebold expects to run for re-election. She hopes to do a good job as collector and reduce the chances that she will draw an opponent.

But she recognizes that she could end up in an expensive, contested race.

"My goal is to put money back now," Diebold said.