Mo. Gov. Nixon raises $1.7M to start 2012

JFEFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon says he raised $1.7 million this past quarter, helping build a campaign account of more than $6 million for his re-election bid.

Nixon, a Democrat, said Monday his fundraising for the first three months of the year marked his best quarter so far in the 2012 campaign cycle.

Nixon's potential Republican opponents didn't raise nearly as much.

St. Louis businessman Dave Spence raised $593,373 and loaned his campaign $250,000 during the past quarter. That loan is on top of $2 million that Spence gave his campaign last fall. He reported more than $1.7 million in his campaign account as of the end of March.

Another Republican gubernatorial candidate -- Kansas City attorney Bill Randles -- reported $5,365 in his account, with a debt of $36,406.