JEFFERSON CITY — Candidates in the Missouri House brought in roughly $1.65 million and spent nearly $950,000 in July alone, according to campaign filings with the Missouri Ethics Commission.
With the primary less than one week away, the final reports show that it’s not just candidates in open, hotly contested seats that are bring in and spending big. Some incumbents — both Republican and Democratic — have challengers that are putting up a solid effort in terms of fundraising.
Here are a few highlights from different districts around the state:
HD 60
In the Cole County seat left open by Rep. Jay Barnes, who is term-limited, three Republicans and two Democrats threw their hats into the race. This hotly contested seat is turning out to be an expensive race with candidates in the GOP primary alone spending more than $116,000.
Pat Rowe Kerr raised $66,455.00 this period, bring her total amount raised to $96,370.54. Her campaign has spent $95,221.87 this election with $65,565.88 of that being spent in July. Kerr has $948.67 cash on hand.
Dave Griffith has raised $19,145.00 raised this period bring his total amount raised to $54,950.00. His campaign has spent $13,316.65 this election. He has $41,633.35 cash on hand.
The other Republican in the race, Jane Beetem, has $8,093.15 cash on hand. She brought in $5,030.97 this period and $16,266.34 raised this election. Her campaign has spent $8,371.99 this election, $1,182.17 of which was in the last period.
Neither of the two Democratic candidates — Kevin Nelson and Sara Michael — have put up as big of numbers found in the Republican primary.
Nelson has $1,843.12 cash on hand, having raised $5,966.75 in total and spent $3,004.63 this election. Michael has raised $16,001.49 this election, has spent $14,210.41 this election, and has $1,990.23 cash on hand.
HD 9
Republicans vying for the seat left open by term-limited Rep. Delus Johnson, a few Republicans candidates are not holding back on spending money.
Of the more than $58,000 spent in the race in July, $48,742.25 has come from Sheila Solon campaign. Solon, who has $681.84 cash on hand, raised $13,294.3 this period bringing her fundraising total to $26,899.30. In total, her campaign has spent $75,278.53 on the race.
None of the other three GOP candidates have matched her fundraising levels.
Mike Chester has $5,726.16 cash on hand, having raised $17,678.0 this election and spent $11,813.84. Christopher Evans has $316.90 cash on hand, having raised $6,782.00 this election and spent $4,435.35. Tina Goodrick has $1,183.75 cash on hand, having raised $2,990.41 this election and spent $1,661.25.
HD 50
In race that is setting up to be a rematch of the special election that was surprisingly close and propeled Rep. Sara Walsh to office, both candidates are raising significant funds.
Walsh raised $7,295.00 in July, bringing her fundraising total to $37,164.6. To date, her campaign has spent $4,243.31. She has $20,991.03 cash on hand.
The Democratic challenger, Michela Skelton, has $27,992.88 cash on hand. She has brought in $40,927.49 this election, $3,046.67 of which in July alone. So far, she has spent $12,184.61 on the campaign, nearly three times that amount of her opponent.
HD 46
Incumbent-Democrat Martha Stevens has raised $22,558.81 of which $1,720.00 was brought in in July. She has spent $5,841.11 this election and has $25,484.71 cash on hand.
The Republican in the race, Cathy Richards, has put up a solid effort in fundraising, bringing in $11,890.95 in July. She has raised $18,919.15 this election and has $13,859.23 cash on hand.
William Hastings, the Green candidate in the race, has $585.14 cash on hand after raising $1,000.00 raised this election and spending $414.86.
Top earners in the House this period:
Elijah Haahr – $86,375.00
Pat Rowe Kerr – $66,455.00
Raleigh Ritter – $35,100.00
Steve Butz – $26,295.00
Jack Bondon – $25,617.50
Jean Evans – $23,085.56
Steve Roberts – $22,420.00
Kathy Swan – $21,830.94
Rocky Miller – $20,017.50
Alisha Shurr was a reporter for The Missouri Times and The Missouri Times Magazine. She joined The Missouri Times in January 2018 after working as a copy editor for her hometown newspaper in Southern Oregon. Alisha is a graduate of Kansas State University.
