This article first appeared in the St. Louos Beacon, Oct. 17, 2011 - Missouri House Speaker Steve Tilley, R-Perryville, is reporting $1.54 million in the bank after a strong fundraising quarter that saw him collect $595,679 for his campaign to become the state's next lieutenant governor.
Tilley's total for the last three months is greater than his party's contenders for governor or U.S. Senate -- a fact that could potentially increase pressure on the speaker to consider elevating his aspirations.
Tilley's report was filed today, the deadline, with the Missouri Ethics Commission.
Tilley's bank account is almost identical to that of current Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, a fellow Republican who has said for some time that he's likely to run for governor. Kinder has yet to announce formally. Kinder reported Saturdaythat he raised $455,521.82 during the last three months
Tilley, who just announced he's getting divorced, has said that he is sticking to his plan to run for lieutenant governor in 2012.
Tilley's official total doesn't include $35,000 in large donations that he collected earlier this month: $10,000 from Noranda Aluminum and $25,000 from the Life Science Fund of Greater Kansas City.
Former state Auditor Susan Montee, who currently chairs the Missouri Democratic Party, has announced that she's considering a bid for lieutenant governor. Tilley's tally may prompt her to reconsider or double-down on fundraising.
The declarations of Montee and former state Rep. Cynthia Davis -- who's running as a Constitution Party candidate for lieutenant governor -- were made after the Sept. 30 deadline, so they don't have to file a campaign-finance report this month.
