SPENDING HEAVY IN ASSOCIATE JUDGESHIP, COMMISSIONER RACES

JACKSON -- Allen Moss is the top spender among candidates in Tuesday's primary election, show campaign finance disclosure reports filed this week with the county clerk's office.

Moss, who is seeking the Republican nomination for Division IV associate circuit judge, has spent $23,871 and raised $24,452, leaving him with a balance of $580.

His opponent, Jeff Dix, listed receipts totaling $11,451 and expenditures of $9,587, leaving a balance of $1,467.

The reports, required by law, must be filed seven days before the election for the period from June 19 to July 21. Starting and ending dates for reports vary by a day or two among candidates.

Since the last report, due 40 days before the election, Moss raised $10,770 and spent $10,839; Dix raised $6,305 and spent $6,528. Another report is due 30 days after the election.

Also generating heavy spending is the primary campaign for presiding commissioner, where three Republicans are battling for the right to succeed retiring Gene Huckstep. There is no Democratic candidate.

Gerald Jones is the leading spender in that race, with total expenditures of $18,117. He has raised $20,925. During this reporting period, Jones raised $5,815 and spent $10,786. Mike Kasten reported expenditures of $12,714 and receipts of $15,655 so far. During the reporting period, Kasten raised $1,185 and spent $4,008. Howard Tooke reported receipts of $4,000, all contributed personally, and expenditures of $3,045. For the period he raised $2,500 and spent $2,241.

Moss and Dix have contributed heavily to their campaigns. Dix has loaned his campaign $8,000 and Moss $21,310.

On the latest report, Dix listed contributions from Dr. Melvin Kasten of $200, Bill and Patricia Lafoe of $200, and Jeff Maguire of $125.

Moss received $200 from Dr. and Mrs. Matthew Coleman.

Moss spent $10,287 with Media Consultants of Sikeston for placing ads and $500 for signs.

About $1,500 of the expenditures by Dix went for postage; the rest for printing.

In the presiding commissioner's race, Jones reported borrowing $2,000 from Capital Bank and $500 from himself. His larger contributions included $1,225 from Jackson Publishing Co., an in-kind donation; $500 each from Edgar O. Jones and Brugger-McDowell Inc. both of Jackson, $500 from Jerry Stone; $200 from Joe Buerkle of Jackson; and $150 from Children's Bazaar in Cape Girardeau.

Most of the money spent by Jones was for radio, television and newspaper advertising.

Kasten's largest contributions for the reporting period included $250 from Dr. and Mrs. Matthew Coleman and $200 from Paul Brinkopf, both of Cape Girardeau.

He spent $3,701 through Red Letter Communications for media advertising and $277 for printing.

Of the $2,241 Tooke spent during the reporting period, all but $318 was used for newspaper advertising. The rest went for yard signs.

In the race for 1st District associate commissioner, incumbent Larry Bock listed total receipts of $3,861 and expenditures of $1,079. His challenger in the Republican primary, Fred Wilkinson, has filed a statement of limited activity, which means he does not plan to raise or spend more than $1,000.

Bock has loaned $3,000 to his campaign.

Democrat Jack Piepenbrok, who is unopposed in the primary for 1st District associate commissioner, raised $300 during the reporting period. For the entire campaign, Piepenbork has raised $810, spent $211, and has $599 in his account.

For 2nd District associate commissioner, all three Republican candidates have filed statements of limited activity. The GOP candidates are Joe Gambill, David Patterson and John Ferguson.

Of the two Democratic candidates, Andy Juden Jr. has an edge in fund raising over Max Stovall. Juden listed total receipts of $3,576 and expenditures of $1,603; Stovall has raised $2,070 and reported a balance of $313.

Stovall loaned his campaign $755. Most of his expenditures for the period were for signs.

Of the $525 raised by Juden during this reporting period, he received $150 from Leland Shivelbine and $125 from Albert C. Lowes. He spent $342 for newspaper ads and showed a balance of $1,973 in his account.

The current 2nd District associate commissioner, E.C. Younghouse, is not seeking re-election.

In the race for 32nd District circuit judge of Cape Girardeau, Bollinger and Perry counties, Republican Benjamin F. Lewis raised $5,994 during the period and spent $4,162. So far he has raised $9,129 and spent $6,122, leaving a balance of $3,116.

Lewis loaned his campaign $3,000 and netted about $1,000 from a $5-per-ticket barbecue. His largest contributions included: $200 from David Crowe, $150 from James Limbaugh, a $144 in-kind donation from River Eagle Distributing, and $100 from J.P. Rice III.

Besides expenses for his fund-raiser, most of Lewis' other expenditures went for campaign signs and stickers.

Democratic Circuit Judge John Grimm raised just $175 during the reporting period and spent $3,320. So far he has raised $21,250, spent $7,885, and has $11,039 on hand. His expenditures included $2,800 for signs and $520 to Red Letter Communications for advertising.

Gary Kamp, a Republican candidate for Division III associate circuit judge, raised $2,100 and spent $381 during this reporting period. So far he has raised $5,575 and spent $1,230. His receipts include a $2,000 personal loan to the campaign, bringing the total amount he has loaned to $4,500.

His Democratic opponent, Gary Robbins, raised $1,000 during the period and spent $1,224. So far he has raised $3,485 and spent $2,827. He received an in-kind donation of $550 from Robert L. Robbins and $200 from the Lowes and Drusch law firm.