STATE REP. KASTEN'S FUND RAISING FAR EXCEEDS OPPONENET MCCULLEY'S

State Rep. Mary Kasten holds a commanding lead in fund raising over her Democratic challenger in the Nov. 8 general election, according to campaign finance disclosure reports filed last week.

The reports, due 40 days before the election, showed Kasten with $12,228 in her campaign account compared with $2,137 for Melinda McCulley.

McCulley is challenging Kasten's bid for a seventh two-year term from the 158th District, which includes the city of Cape Girardeau, except for Ward 17.

Rep. David Schwab, R-Jackson, whose 157th District includes the rest of Cape County and a small part of Bollinger County, showed $373 in his account. Schwab is running unopposed this year for a fourth term.

During this reporting period, running from Sept. 1 to 25 for Kasten and from Aug. 28 to Sept. 24 for McCulley, Kasten raised $9,500 while McCulley raised $2,445.

Kasten spent $821 and McCulley spent $2,103 during the period.

For the entire campaign, Kasten has raised $13,397 and spent $1,140; McCulley has raised $8,620 and spent $6,483.

Kasten raised about $6,000 at a fund-raising reception hosted by Rob and JoAnn Erlbacher on Sept. 16, which drew more than 100 people, according to her campaign report.

McCulley held a major fund-raiser last July, attended by Gov. Mel Carnahan, which was covered in an earlier report.

Kasten received $1,150 from political action committees during this period, compared with $1,400 taken in by McCulley from PAC's, campaign committees and labor unions.

Kasten's PAC contributions included: $200 each from Kansas City Life Employees PAC, Motor Carriers Public Affairs and Missouri Medical PAC.

She also received $100 each from Golden Rule Financial Corp., the Health PAC, Missouri Defense Lawyers PAC, the Missouri Insurance Coalition and the AGC of St. Louis PAC.

The Missouri University PAC contributed $50.

She also received $100 from the campaign committee of State Rep. Mark Richardson, R-Poplar Bluff.

McCulley received $250 more from Citizens for Griffin, the campaign committee of House Speaker Bob Griffn, raising the total he has contributed to $500.

She also received $450 from the Missouri House Democrat Campaign Committee, $250 from Bricklayers Local 23, $250 from the Pipefitters Union of St. Louis and $200 from the Missouri State Council of Carpenters.

Other contributions to McCulley greater than $100 were: $200 from Thomas L. Meyer, $150 from the M&M Law Office in Cape Girardeau and $125 from A.C. Lowes.

Most of McCulley's expenditures during the period went for printing.

Individual contributors to Kasten included $200 each from: Gary Rust, Martin Hecht, Mrs. Charles Cozean, Rickey L. Lents, Michael Trueblood, Russell Felker and Bette Talbert, all of Cape Girardeau, and Lloyd Smith of Sikeston.

Schwab, for this election, has raised $1,935 and spent $1,363.

During this reporting period, Schwab received $300 from the Southwestern Bell Missouri Employees PAC and $100 each from the Golden Rule Financial Corp. and the Missouri Insurance Coalition PAC.