Rove helps Kinder raise money at Cape Girardeau event

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A fundraiser featuring Republican political strategist Karl Rove raised about $160,000 for the potential Missouri gubernatorial campaign of Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder.

Kinder's campaign released the fundraising figure Thursday, a day after Rove appeared with Kinder at the Cape Girardeau event. Rove was a political adviser and deputy chief of staff for President George W. Bush.

Kinder campaign attorney Jared Craighead said the fundraiser drew more than 200 people. It comes as Kinder is gauging whether to go forward with a challenge to Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon in 2012.

Kinder has not yet officially announced his candidacy. He delayed his expected announcement after acknowledging last month that he had frequented a strip club in the mid-1990s.