Holden doubles the money over election challengers

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Thanks to some robust autumn fund-raising, Democratic Gov. Bob Holden has twice as much campaign cash as his political rivals to begin the 2004 election season.

Holden's re-election campaign reported raising more than $1.1 million from October through December, with more than $3.1 million on hand at the end of last year, according to campaign finance reports filed last week with the Missouri Ethics Commission.

That means Holden has twice as much available cash as either of his challengers, Democratic State Auditor Claire McCaskill and Republican Secretary of State Matt Blunt.

But all candidates are boasting of their achievements.

McCaskill reported $1.6 million on hand. But her quarterly fund-raising of $414,891 included a $145,000 loan from herself in late December. All told, McCaskill has loaned her campaign nearly $400,000.

Blunt reported raising $556,201 during the last quarter of 2003, with more than $1.5 million on hand.

"The fund-raising is a good barometer of the relative strength of each campaign," said Rick Hardy, a political scientist at the University of Missouri-Columbia. "I think they all three are quite viable right now based on the figures."

As expectedIncumbent governors are expected to have more money than challengers at this point in a campaign, so Holden's lead is not necessarily remarkable, Hardy said. Yet it shows that Holden's fund-raising has not been hampered by a poor economy and that he may have healed from some political wounds suffered early in his term, including the publicity over a costly 2001 inaugural that took a while to pay off, Hardy said.

"This looks like a good indication that the governor is going to run a very tough campaign," Hardy said.

Holden campaign spokesman Caleb Weaver said the governor's fund-raising figures show "Democrats and others around the state are rallying in support of the governor."

Yet McCaskill's campaign claimed to have accomplished something unique.

Campaign spokesman Glenn Campbell claimed McCaskill's excess of $1 million in fund-raising -- excluding her loans and the money she carried over from her previous auditor's campaign -- was the most ever raised nationally by a primary challenger to an incumbent governor heading into the election year. He cited a University of North Carolina study that looked at challenges to incumbent governors over roughly the past 30 years. The figures were not adjusted for inflation.

Getting a message out"We will never have as much money as the sitting governor," Campbell said. "The key for us is to get to the threshold of being able to get a message out for a couple weeks, or even a couple months, near the end of this election. And we're definitely on track to do that." Hardy said McCaskill's personal loans show "she is putting her money where her mouth is. But it also means that she's got a really tough row to hoe in this." Blunt campaign spokes-man John Hancock claimed his candidate's cumulative total of $2.4 million raised so far was "more money than any challenger has ever raised in the history of the state" at this point.

Although Blunt has half as much money on hand as Holden, he doesn't have to spend it as soon, because Blunt is not expected to face a serious challenge in the August primary, Hancock said.

"Holden and McCaskill have to spend a lot of money talking to the 6 percent of the state that votes in the Democratic primary," Hancock said. "Our resources are going to be deployed running for governor" in the November general election.

Hardy said Blunt's fund-raising was "probably a pretty good take, given his position at this stage."

STATEWIDE CAMPAIGN COFFERS FOR 2004

Following is a list of money raised and spent by Missouri candidates for statewide offices through the end of 2003, as reported Thursday to the Missouri Ethics Commission. Money raised may include loans. Cash on hand may include money carried over from previous years or campaigns.

PARTY RAISED SPENT ON HANDGOVERNOR

Bob Holden Democrat $4,712,480 $1,626,200 $3,119,550

Receive Daily Headlines FREESign up today!

Claire McCaskill Democrat $1,434,966 $339,435 $1,592,177

Matt Blunt Republican $2,429,599 $929,328 $1,464,950LT. GOVERNOR

Bekki Cook Democrat $161,333 $17,568 $142,292

Ken Jacob Democrat $106,358 $12,393 $106,110

Peter Kinder Republican $361,804 $65,369 $290,234

Pat Secrest Republican $52,645 $34,871 $11,266SECRETARY OF STATE

Robin Carnahan Democrat $358,795 $76,161 $282,486

Catherine Hanaway Republican $431,165 $49,261 $425,379TREASURER

Mark Abel Democrat $64,225 $13,783 $80,883