By Joe Hadsall
Globe columnist
The latest fund-raising reports are in, and there is a lot to talk about. Vocabulary, however, is more on my brain than numbers.
The last time I did this column, a few of my friends hassled me for frequently using the phrase war chest. Two of them sent me links to a popular online thesaurus. Another dogged me as I was paying for a movie: “Are we taking this out of your war chest?” she asked.
A local blogger was much nicer: He absolved me and blamed my editors. But no one, strangely enough, criticized my excessive use of words such as raised, spent or committee.
War chest is another name for a candidate’s campaign fund-raising account. Newspaper people love the term because it’s short, descriptive and to the point.
But, politicians hate it for the same reasons utility companies hate the word hike instead of increase. War chest carries negative connotations and highlights the competitive, cut-throat nature of elections.
Truth be told, there’s not a better way to say it. Elections are fights, and they take resources to win. More money doesn’t always equal a victory, but it helps a candidate challenge his or her competition.
To all who hate war chest, get used to it. You will see it frequently before the November elections — especially with Missouri’s new law of unlimited donations.
But this column is your reprieve. You won’t see the term again in this column — I’ll dig through the thesaurus and come up with something else. You’re welcome.
On to the updates. These election reports have been filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission:
Rep. Ed Emery, R-Lamar, reported $1,425 in contributions and $3,281.75 in payments. He has $6,179.10 in his campaign account.
Emery received donations of $325 each from the Missouri Insurance Coalition, of Jefferson City, and utility companies Ameren UE and Aquila, based out of Kansas City. Of his payments, $2,375 were donations to other campaigns.
Tom Flanigan, R-Carthage, received $1,325 and spent $577.49 in his race as the only candidate running for representative from District 127. He has reserves of $8,434.14.
His contributions include $1,000 from the 106th Legislative Republican Committee and $325 from Bank of America.
Rep. Steve Hunter, R-Joplin, did not file a 30-day-after-election report at the Jasper County Courthouse. Hunter, who term-limits out of the House, is a candidate for the Carl Junction R-1 Board of Education, to be elected in April 2009.
Speaker-elect Ron Richard, R-Joplin, reported $7,500 in contributions and $38,853.84 in payments. He has $121,781.76 on hand.
Richard received donations of $1,000 from Dale Turvey, of Chesterfield, and $325 each from Laborers Local No. 319, of Joplin, Ameren UE, Aquila, Monsanto and Motor Carrier Public Affairs.
His largest expense was a $25,000 donation to the House Republican Campaign Committee in Jefferson City.
n Rep. Marilyn Ruestman, R-Joplin, reported $4,700 in contributions and $2,362.16 in payments. She has $75,437.71 on hand.
Ruestman received donations of $3,000 from the 127th Legislative Committee, $325 each from Ethelmae Humphreys, of Joplin, Contract Freighters Inc., Bank of America and Vicki Jo Babbitt, of Pineville, and $100 from Stephen Holt, of Joplin.
Rep. Bryan Stevenson, R-Webb City, reported $325 in contributions and $7,361.48 in payments. He has $1,260.33 in his campaign account.
His largest expense was a $5,500 donation to the House Republican Campaign Committee.
Rep. Kevin Wilson, R-Neosho, reported $1,200 in contributions and $7,042.21 in payments. He has $22,688.70 on hand.
His expenses include 10 donations of $500 to other Missouri candidates and $300 to the House Republican Campaign Committee.
Sen. Jack Goodman, R-Mount Vernon, reported $7,750 in contributions and $6,920.72 in payments. He has $58,202 in his campaign account.
Goodman’s expenses included $4,875 in contributions to political committees, including $2,700 to attorney general candidate Michael Gibbons, $1,350 to treasurer candidate Brad Lager and $500 to the McDonald County Republican Club.
Sen. Gary Nodler, R-Joplin, did not file a 30-day-after-election report with the Missouri Ethics Commission.
Address correspondence to Joe Hadsall, c/o The Joplin Globe, P.O. Box 7, Joplin, Mo. 64802 or e-mail jhadsall@joplinglobe.com.
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