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What we learned: October 2018 quarterly reports

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — With less than one month until the general election, candidates and campaigns turned in their fundraising numbers for the most recent quarter that ended with September. 

Here is what we learned from the October 15 reports:

U.S. Senate

Campaign finance filings show that incumbent U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill raised more than twice that amount of her Republican opponent Josh Hawley for the period. Between July and the end of September, McCaskill racked in nearly $8.5 million while Hawley brought in $3.4 million. In total, McCaskill has raised roughly $27.3 million while Hawley has brought in $7.4 million.

However, Hawley ended with more cash on hand with $3.5 million compared to McCaskill’s roughly $3.2 million. McCaskill far out spent Hawley in that three month time period, pouring $17.5 million into the race compared to Hawley’s $2.9 million.

Independent Craig O’Dear has raised more than $600,000 while Libertarian Japeth Campbell and Green Party candidate Jo Crain have yet to submit their most recent report.

The most spending the U.S. Senate race is coming from outside groups. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, as of Tuesday, more than $53 million has been poured into Missouri’s race from outside groups. Nearly $27 million has been spent opposing McCaskill while roughly $21 million has been spent opposing Hawley.

State Auditor

Auditor Nicole Galloway, who was appointed to the position in 2015 by then-Gov. Jay Nixon has raised $1.9 million, according to the October quarterly filings with the Missouri Ethics Commission. Between July 1, 2018, and September 30, 2018, she generated $203,387 in donations.

Galloway has also been the big spender in her attempt to retain her position, spending $73,661 this filing period and $562,571 for the election. She has $1.3 million cash-on-hand.

In contrast, Republican candidate Saundra McDowell has reported raising $38,927 in the previous three months and spending $18,225, leaving her with $26,457 cash-on-hand. Her campaign also reported being in debt $23,809.

Ballot Measures

In the last three months, the campaign advocating to increase Missouri’s fuel tax took a commanding lead in fundraising.

SaferMO.com, the group supporting Proposition D, brought in more than $2.4 million bring their total to just over $2.5 million. The group spent $887,654 for the period and more than $900,000 in total. SaferMO.com has $1.6 million cash on hand.

In total, Clean Missouri, the campaign advocating for Amendment 1, has brought in and spent the most. The group has raised nearly $3.9 million while spending just over $2 million to advocating for an overhaul of Missouri’s ethics system.  

Clean Missouri had the second best quarter, raising nearly $1.8 million. They have $1.4 million cash on hand. Organized opposition to the Clean Missouri measure, Missourians First, filed limited activity.

2018 Ballot Fund, a group that is also supporting the Clean Missouri ballot question, brought in $400,101 in the last three months and spent $205,238 in the same time frame.

Jobs with Justice Ballot Fund, a group that is advocating for an increased minimum wage, brought in $285,425 for the quarter and $488,695 in total. The group has spent $255,019 in total, of which $252,573 was spent in the last three months. They have $183,544 cash on hand.

Of the three groups putting forth measures to legalize medical marijuana, Find the Cures — Amendment 3 — has raised the most money and poured the most into the campaign.

Find the Cures brought in nearly $210,000 in the last three months bring their total to $1.7 million. They spent $164,739 since July bringing the total expenditures to $1.7 million. The group largely funded by Springfield lawyer and attorney has $44,451 cash on hand.

In contrast, the other campaigns for medical marijuana — New Approach Missouri for Amendment 2 and Missourians for Patient Care for Proposition C — have raised $181,500 and $1.3 million, respectively, while spending $126,468 and $1 million, respectively, in total.

The committee opposing all three medical marijuana measures, Citizens for SAFE Medicine, filed a limited activity report.

Noteworthy

Eric Greitens’ campaign committee is still operating four months after he resigned his position as Missouri’s governor. The campaign spent $256,241 in the last three month, mostly on legal fees. The committee paid Husch Blackwell $114,544, Clark Hill in Washington, D.C. $68,040, and Chalmers Burch & Adams $15,330. Greitens for Missouri still has $891,553 cash on hand.

The House Republican Campaign Committee has raised a record-breaking $4.2 million. The previous record was set in 2010 with $4.1 million raised.

Tony Luetkemeyer, Republican candidate for SD 34, raised roughly $100,000 more than any other GOP state Senate candidate with $155,000 brought in in the last three months. His Democratic opponent, Martin Rucker, raised $49,488.

The state Senate candidates with the most cash on hand are Sen. Jill Schupp with $702,502, Eric Burlison with $375,115,  Sen. Bob Onder with $342,879, Sen. Dave Schatz with $316,966, and Lincoln Hough with $263,136.

The state House candidates with the most cash on hand are Rep. Elijah Haahr with $299,856, Rep. Holly Rehder with $161,304, Rep. Rob Vescovo with $130,735, Rep. Jack Bondon with $106,138, and Rep. Shamed Dogan with $100,014.