The Missouri Ethics Commission has been posting 4th quarter campaign finance reports as they come in. Beth Grubb, the Democratic challenger in the 122nd Legislative District, and Mike McGhee, the republican incumbent, have their reports in. I thought I’d take a look at their respective reports and see if I could find any contrasts.
Oh boy, there is a distinct difference – and the total numbers don’t quite reflect what’s going on here:
Beth Grubb’s campaign committee was formed on December 7, 2007.
Committe[e]: GRUBB FOR THE HOUSE
Report[ ]Date: 12/31/20072. ALL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED THIS PERIOD $1,515.00
14. TOTAL ALL EXPENDITURES MADE THIS PERIOD (SUM 11A + 12A + 13A) $179.77
28. MONEY ON HAND AT THE CLOSE OF THIS REPORTING PERIOD (SUM 25 + 26 – 27) $1,335.23
Grubb’s campaign raised the money in a short period of time from individuals contributing amounts ranging from $15.00 to $150.00.
Mike McGhee, on the other hand…
Committe[e]: CITIZENS TO RE-ELECT MIKE MCGHEE
Report[ ]Date: 12/31/20071. TOTAL RECEIPTS FOR THIS ELECTION PREVIOUSLY REPORTED $12,325.00
2. ALL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED THIS PERIOD $4,700.00
10. TOTAL EXPENDITURES FOR THIS ELECTION PREVIOUSLY REPORTED $848.18
11. EXPENDITURES MADE BY CASH OR CHECK THIS PERIOD $787.00
15. TOTAL EXPENDITURES THIS ELECTION (SUM 10B + 14A) $1,635.18
20. TOTAL ALL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE THIS ELECTION (SUM 16B + 19A) $550.00
28. MONEY ON HAND AT THE CLOSE OF THIS REPORTING PERIOD (SUM 25 + 26 – 27) $17,139.83
Then, there’s this little item:
29. OUTSTANDING INDEBTEDNESS AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS PERIOD $10,000.00
Yep, a good chunk of that total is a loan from:
Valeta A. McGhee 9/30/2007 $10,000.00
Let’s take a look at what gave Mike McGhee’s campaign money in the 4th quarter:
Realtors PAC – Missouri Columbia, MO 12/19/2007 $325.00
FEAPAC of Missouri 10850 Lowell Ave. Overland Park, KS 12/26/2007 $325.00
Your School Your Choice – Statewide St. Louis, MO 12/31/2007 $325.00
Your School Your Choice – Central St. Louis, MO 12/31/2007 $325.00
Your School Your Choice – Northeast St. Louis, MO 12/31/2007 $325.00
Your School Your Choice – Southeast St. Louis, MO 12/31/2007 $325.00
AT&T Missouri Employee PAC Louis, MO 10/5/2007 $275.00
MHA Kansas City District PAC Jefferson City, MO 10/9/2007 $75.00
MHA PAC for Health Jefferson City, MO 10/9/2007 $325.00
Lafayette County Republican Central Committee Lexington, MO 11/5/2007 $1,000.00
Home Building Industry PAC St. Louis, MO 11/5/2007 $325.00
Citizens for Jay Wasson Nixa, MO 11/13/2007 $325.00
Government Affairs Committee St. Louis Chapter National Electrical Cont. Assn. St. Louis, MO 11/23/2007 $325.00
Plumbing Industry Council State PAC Maryland Heights, MO 11/23/2007 $100.00
Nope, no itemized individual contributions there. Well, there could be small individual contributions. Let’s take a look:
11. TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED AT FUND-RAISERS AS REPORTED IN LINE 8 ON FORM CD 1A $0.00
12. TOTAL ANONYMOUS CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED FROM PERSONS GIVING $25 OR LESS $0.00
13. TOTAL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED FROM PERSONS GIVING $100 OR LESS $0.00
14. TOTAL IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED FROM PERSONS (NOT COMMITTEES) GIVING $100 OR LESS $0.00
Nope. Nothing there. Can you feel the groundswell of grassroots special interests?
With real grassroots interest and fundraising this race is winnable for Beth Grubb. 2008 will be a strong Democratic year – this race should be among our better chances to remove a republican from the Missouri General Assembly.
Part of McGhee’s contributions come from the pro-voucher group called Your School Your Choice funded by Sinquefield. Vouchers can’t be popular in that are. It will be a good opportunity for Beth Grubb to show she supports public schools and McGhee doesn’t.
Here’s a man who’s proposing a constitutional amendment that guarantees an individual’s right to pray on public property–oh, and, by the way, to choose any or no religion. I’m so glad he tacked that last part on to reassure me that he wasn’t trying to play to the wingnuts. Because, considering that it’s already legal–as if anybody could stop it–to pray on public property, I did think he was doing a tad bit of pandering.
The DPI number for the 122nd is 46.2, so winning that district is definitely doable. Anything over 45 is doable even with an incumbent running.