This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Oct. 15, 2012 - Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has outspent Republican rival Dave Spence by more than three-to-one over the past three months, and has a similar financial edge heading into the final campaign stretch.
Nixon spent $4.478 million just since July 1, compared to $1.34 million for Spence, a wealthy St. Louis County businessman. As of Sept. 30, Nixon had almost $4.94 million left to spend, while Spence had $1.5 million.
The latest campaign finance reports, filed Monday, also show that Spence opted against injecting any more of his personal money into the campaign during the past three months. Spence already has donated or lent his campaign at least $4 million so far.
The Nixon-Spence numbers are the marquee figures released Monday, when the last major bloc of reports were due. None of the reports include money raised or spent since Oct. 1.
This latest round of reports does document a change in tactics for most campaigns, which until lately have focused on collecting as much money as they can.
Now, they are spending it – largely on TV ads.
Nixon’s report showed that he spent about $1.56 million during the last three months on TV ads, compared to $1.09 million for Spence.
The GOP challenger also has apparently changed firms that handle the ads; his report shows all of his ad money going to Smart Media Group LLC. Spence earlier had used Thompson Communications of Springfield, Mo., a favorite of most Republican statewide candidates in Missouri.
Nixon’s money went to The Campaign Group, a Philadelphia firm that he has used for some time.
Democrats report most money for final weeks
Meanwhile, Attorney General Chris Koster took in the most money among candidates running for down-ballot statewide offices. And other down-ballot Democrats each outpaced their Republican rivals.
That could show up on TV, when down-ballot candidates in Missouri traditionally air the bulk of their ads.
The incumbent Democratic officeholder raised $1,146,650.55 in monetary and in-kind contributions during the past three months. He spent nearly all of the money he took in – nearly $1,031,483.80 – and has just over $2.5 million left in the bank as of Sept. 30.
Most of Koster’s expenditures went toward television advertisements, as well as consulting, research and staff fees.
Koster’s opponent – GOP nominee Ed Martin – took in $382,717.11 and spent $52,264.29 during the reporting period. The Republican attorney from the city of St. Louis has $524,050.29 in the bank.
In the race for the soon-to-be-vacant secretary of state’s office, state Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City, took in $195,848 in monetary and in-kind donations and spent about $64,690. He reported $1.07 million on hand as of Sept. 30.
Kander’s opponent – House President Pro Tem Shane Schoeller, R-Willard – raised about $159,235.63 in monetary contributions. He also received $117,633.59 in in-kind contributions, primarily from billboard companies providing him with advertising.
After spending $146,535.45, Schoeller has $297,449.31 of cash on hand heading into the final stretch of the campaign.
Both major party candidates for lieutenant governor had a similar amount of cash on hand for the final month of the campaign.
Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder took in $284,060.77 raised in monetary and in-kind donations during the reporting period. After spending $32,851.07, Kinder has about $267,911.03 of cash on hand. That’s a far better place for Kinder compared to his last report, which showed that his once-imposing cash-on-hand total had dwindled after his primary with state Sen. Brad Lager, R-Savannah.
Democratic lieutenant governor nominee Susan Montee took in $125,510.27 during the same period, and spent $40,593.35.. She has bit more than Kinder -- $270,117.38 -- left over in the bank.
State Treasurer Clint Zweifel and Republican challenger Cole McNary raised roughly the same amount of money over the fundraising quarter. McNary, R-Chesterfield, took in about $156,124.64 in monetary and in-kind donations, slightly less than the $166,726.48 in monetary and in-kind contributions raised by Zweifel.
Zweifel, though, had almost $1.28 million on hand as of Sept. 30, a number far greater than the $160,846.56 that McNary reported.
