By Joe Hadsall
jhadsall@joplinglobe.com
The three front-runners in the Republican race for the 7th District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives can all claim victories in the most recent round of campaign finance reports.
They are vying for election to the office long held by Republican Rep. Roy Blunt. Blunt is seeking a seat in the U.S. Senate, following the announcement by fellow Republican Christopher “Kit” Bond that he is not seeking re-election in 2010.
Each of three main contenders says he surpassed fund-raising goals, and each received money from the same Joplin family, according to the most recent quarterly reports on file with the Federal Election Commission.
n State Sen. Jack Goodman, of Mount Vernon, won the fund-raising lead for the quarter, which ran from April 1 to June 30. He raised $108,263.80 in that time, spent $35,215.57 and currently has a war chest of $147,710.
Goodman said he surpassed a $100,000 fund-raising goal and reported 236 donors.
“I’m very grateful for the donors at every level,” Goodman said. “We have doubled the number of donors from last quarter, and a great number of them are $100 or less.”
Goodman reported donations of $5,000 from Rob Jackson, of Monett, and $2,400 each from Ethelmae Humphreys and attorney Joseph L. Hensley, both of Joplin. Jackson was refunded $200 to stay in compliance with the FEC’s contribution limits.
Campaign spokesman Miles Ross said a $2,400 contribution in the report from David Humphreys, president and chief executive of Tamko Building Products Inc., was incorrectly recorded as being from his wife, Debra.
Goodman said he has hired a fund-raising team of consultants and is excited about campaigning in the first full quarter without a legislative session.
n State Sen. Gary Nodler, of Joplin, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, raised $101,545 in a shorter amount of time, compared with the other two front-runners. Nodler announced his campaign in May. He spent $1,544.07 and has a war chest of $100,000.93.
Despite the quick start out of the gate, Nodler said he is focused on raising the money he thinks he needs.
“I’m not approaching this as a horse race with the other candidates,” Nodler said. “I have my own budget goals for what I need to raise.”
Included in his total are donations of $10,000 from Leggett & Platt Inc.; $9,600 from David and Debra Humphreys, of Joplin; $9,600 from Rudy and Dorothy Farber, of Neosho; and $2,500 from Empire District Electric Co.
Nodler is planning fund-raising events for the next quarter, including a September event in St. Louis.
n Auctioneer Billy Long, of Springfield, has the biggest war chest in the race, with $326,493.44. He reported $101,700 in contributions for the quarter and $14,805.70 in expenditures. Last quarter, he donated $100,000 of his personal funds to his campaign.
“I’m humbled by the support,” Long said. “I’m basically a political neophyte, so it means a lot for people to support me and my message.”
His donations include $4,800 from Stephen and Lisa Cox, of Springfield; $4,800 from Ed and Carol Pinegar, of Springfield; $3,500 from Thomas Sutherland, of Ozark; and $2,400 from David Humphreys, of Joplin.
n The FEC did not list any financial reports for candidates Jeff Wisdom and Darrell Moore. According to The Associated Press, the two raised amounts below limits required for reporting.
Economy doesn’t help
Another thing the three principal candidates have in common: The economy isn’t helping their efforts.
“We’d probably be able to raise more if the economy was expanding, not contracting,” Nodler said. “If unemployment was at 3 percent instead of 10 percent, if the stock market was up; all those things affect people’s financial capacity.”
Goodman said he hasn’t met many people who chose not to support him financially.
“But I have come across a lot who have said they can’t give as much as they would like to, and that I should come back later,” Goodman said.
Long is continuing to operate his auction business during his campaign. His career complicates fund raising more than the economy does, he said.
“As far as people not having as much, that’s a level playing field,” Long said. “But I’m still running my business, and that puts me behind.”
Editor's note, July 21, 2009: A correction to this story has been made.
