KASTEN HOLDS SLIGHT EDGE OVER CHALLENGER MCCULLEY IN FUND RAISING

State Rep. Mary Kasten had a slight edge in fund raising over her Democratic challenger, but she had more than twice as much money on hand for expenditures in the final days, show seven-day campaign finance disclosure reports.

Kasten has raised $17,977 so far and spent $9,110 as of Oct. 28. Her campaign account balance was $8,517.

Democrat Melinda Benton McCulley showed total receipts of $14,745 and total expenditures of $10,883, leaving her with $3,366 in her account Oct. 31.

For the reporting period, Kasten raised $4,580 and spent $8,289. McCulley raised $6,125 and spent $4,400.

Kasten's contributors included three House colleagues. Rep. Mark Richardson of Poplar Bluff gave her $200, Rep. Pat Secrest of Manchester $100, and Rep. Connie Wible of Springfield $50.

Political action committees donating to Kasten were: Sprint United Telephone PAC, $300; ACC Mo. PAC, $250; Missouri Business for Good Government and Missouri Dental PAC, $200 each; and the Missouri Bankers Association PAC, MPMA PAC, and Union Electric Employees PAC, $150 each.

She also received $100 each from the Missouri School Alliance, Progress in Video Elec. PAC, Missouri Association of Municipal Utilities, Builders Association PAC, Missouri Restaurant Association, and Missouri Society of Professional Engineers.

McCulley received $800 from the Democratic State Committee; $250 from the Missouri House Democratic Campaign Committee, making their total contribution $450; $250 from Citizens for Griffin, raising to $750 the contributions she has received from House Speaker Bob Griffin; and $100 from the House Capitol Democrats Inner Circle.

McCulley also received $500 from the Cape Girardeau Central Trades and Labor Council for the period, raising its contribution to $1,000; $500 from the Laborers Education Fund Local 1104; $300 from the CWA District 6 PAC; $250 from the Hoisting Engineers Union; $200 from the Sheet Metal Workers union; and $200 from the Missouri AFL-CIO Political Education Committee.

McCulley also received a $400 in-kind donation from Drury Southwest; $250 each from Ward's Council and the Missouri NEA; $200 each from the Missouri Association of Trial Lawyers, Missouri Optometric PAC, and Dr. Terry Swinger of Caruthersville; $110 from Ann Waggoner of Cape Girardeau; and $100 from the Building Trades Council.

McCulley's largest expenditures for the period included $1,232 for KFVS-TV ads; $1,200 for KZIM radio ads; and $860 for ads in the Southeast Missourian.

Kasten's largest expenditures during the period were $5,055 to Red Letter Communications for campaign planning, $1,343 to Concord Printing, and $800 for the rental of Bavarian Halle for a campaign rally.