By Susan Redden
Globe Staff Writer
JOPLIN, Mo. —
Republican candidates looking to succeed Robin Carnahan as secretary of state have a fair amount of money to spend for the August primary, and some of it is from the Joplin area.
The GOP candidates all are current members of the Missouri General Assembly: Bill Stouffer, of Napton, and Scott Rupp, of Wentzville, both state senators, and Rep. Shane Schoeller, of Willard.
Another lawmaker, Rep. Jason Kander, of Kansas City, is seeking the Democratic nomination, as is M.D. Rabbi Alam, of Kansas City. Other candidates are Cisse W. Spragins, of Kansas City, Libertarian Party, and Justin Harter, of Columbia, Constitution Party.
Carnahan, a Democrat, is not seeking re-election.
Schoeller led the fundraising field in quarterly reports that were due in April, with $98,084 for a three-month period, though Stouffer, who raised $36,675 for the quarter, had total contributions of $358,334, compared with $329,993 for Schoeller. Rupp collected $13,660 in the quarter and reported total contributions of $242,925.
Area contributors to the Schoeller campaign were listed as Catherine Cole, Webb City, $100; Cynthia Curchin, Joplin, $100; David Humphreys, Joplin, $25,000; Lawrence Kloeppel, Joplin, $100; Nick Myers, Joplin, $300; and the campaign funds of state Rep. Bill Reiboldt, Neosho, $1,000, and Charlie Davis, Webb City, $500. Neither representative faces opposition for re-election.
Kander reported quarterly donations of $252,755 and total collections of $595,079.
The campaigns of local representatives also made donations to fellow state Rep. Cole McNary, of Chesterfield, who is unopposed for the GOP nomination for state treasurer. Contributions of $1,000 were made from the campaign funds of Reiboldt and Bill White, of Joplin. A contribution of $5,350 was made by Gene McNary, of St. Louis, the candidate’s father, a former county executive for St. Louis County who previously ran for Missouri governor and U.S. senator.
Clint Zweifel, the Democratic incumbent who is unopposed for the nomination, reported quarterly contributions of $256,293 and total campaign proceeds of nearly $1.4 million.
In the race for attorney general, Ed Martin, of St. Louis, former chief of staff to Gov. Matt Blunt, is seeking the opportunity to challenge incumbent Democrat Chris Koster. Martin reported campaign contributions of $320,315, including $205,000 he shifted from an earlier effort he launched to run for Congress. Missourians for Matt Blunt pitched in $10,000, while $1,000 each came from Rudolph Farber, Neosho, and Jim Talent, former U.S. senator.
Adam Warren, of Chillicothe, also seeking the GOP nomination, reported $16,493 in campaign contributions, including $12,737 from the candidate
Koster reported quarterly contributions of $890,315 and total collections of more than $2.9 million.
On the federal front, U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., reported that the Senate had approved an amendment she sponsored to prohibit the U.S. Postal Service from closing rural post offices any time in the next 12 months unless there is not significant opposition from the affected community, while other postal reforms are put in place to shore up financing for the service.
McCaskill and U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., also released statements hailing a decision by the Department of Labor to withdraw a proposed rule that would have restricted the work of young people on farms and ranches. Blunt was a co-sponsor of a bipartisan measure introduced by Sens. John Thune, of South Dakota, and Jerry Moran, of Kansas, calling for withdrawal of the proposed rules.
Susan Redden is a staff writer for the Globe. She can be reached at sredden@joplinglobe.com or 417-623-3480, ext. 7258.
