In the race for a Missouri U.S. Senate seat, Attorney General Eric Schmitt raised the most money in the just-completed fundraising quarter.
Of the four Republican candidates who announced their Senate bids, Schmitt led with $1.33 million. He has about $1.1 million in the bank after his campaign spent close to $232,000.
U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Harrisonville, who jumped into the Senate primary race on June 10, raised the second-largest amount out of all announced candidates with $893,000. Hartzler has $1.45 million in the bank.
Attorney Mark McCloskey raised $589,040 and has $167,417 of cash on hand after his campaign spent $421,000. Former Gov. Eric Greitens took in $449,000, spent $134,551 and has $323,000 in cash on hand.
These figures include only donations sent to candidate committees. They do not include donations to super political action committees that don’t have limits.
Potential contenders post strong fundraising quarters
Three other GOP members of Congress who are mulling whether to enter the race to replace U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt also posted sizable fundraising hauls:
- Rep. Ann Wagner took in $834,000 during the fundraising quarter. Wagner, R-Ballwin, has $1.18 million in the bank after spending $269,000.
- Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, raised $540,000. He has $1.62 million in the bank after spending $361,000. That's the most cash on hand of any potential or announced candidate.
- Rep. Billy Long of Springfield brought in $201,000 and has $559,000 of cash on hand after spending $178,000.
Both Smith and Long are close to former President Donald Trump and could be formidable competitors if they get his endorsement. Wagner is the only GOP member of the congressional delegation who ran in a competitive race in 2020 and has a long track record of impressive fundraising.
Wagner, Smith and Long all have plenty of time to decide whether to run for Blunt’s seat, since filing for the primary won’t begin until early next year.
Kunce emerges as Democratic fundraising leader
Lucas Kunce, an attorney who lives in Independence, raised the most of the announced Democratic candidates.
Kunce, a Jefferson City native who previously ran for a Cole County-based state representative seat in 2006, took in $629,000 in the fundraising quarter. He has $324,000 in the bank after spending $500,000.
Former state Sen. Scott Sifton brought in $200,000 and has $101,000 after spending $244,315. St. Louis businessman Spencer Toder took in $40,000. He has $6,500 in the bank after spending $33,800. Kansas City entrepreneur Tim Shepard brought in $27,909 and has $12,000 after spending $16,700.
It’s possible that the Democratic field isn’t set yet. Former Gov. Jay Nixon, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and state Sen. Brian Williams have been mentioned as potential candidates.
Follow Jason on Twitter: @jrosenbaum
