However, after President Truman, one man stands above all the rest. Christopher S. “Kit” Bond. 

You can find a litany of his accomplishments in his many obituaries published around the state, but when I think of Kit Bond I think of more than his resume. 

He was a larger than life figure. Missouri ran through his veins. His every word, his every action, literally everything about him exuded a love for Missouri. 

Kit Bond left such an indelible mark on this state and our politics that years after he left public office doing the right thing for the state even if it was hard, thinking long term, bringing Missourian’s tax dollars home to invest in Missourian’s communities, to this day, is an extension of the legacy Kit Bond. 

He was the man who didn’t preen and peacock about what he was doing, he was the man who produced. 

You can have all the Twitter populism you want, but you have to produce or none of it really matters. 

Kit Bond produced. 

You can be any place in this state from Caruthersville to Rock Port, from Pineville to Kahoka and you cannot drive more than a half hour in any direction without finding a bridge, a yard of water pipe, a runway, a mile of road, a sewage plant, or a facility at a college that Kit Bond didn’t have a role in building. 

Kit Bond was more than a Governor or a Senator. His accomplishments were so vast, his impact was so immense that he became more the legacy of the love and dedication to Missouri that lives on more than a single man who no longer does. 

That legacy lived on in his successor Roy Blunt. Imagine filling those shoes, imagine being entrusted to maintain and carry forth that legacy. 

Senator Blunt did, and today you can see that same legacy continuing on this year when his successor Senator Schmitt brought home the latest fighter wing to Missouri. 

Speaking of that legacy of putting Farmington over Fox News, putting Tarkio over Twitter, Innsbrook over Facebook. Kit Bond’s legacy continues on in this state, not by the loudest in the room, or the most obnoxious social media account, but by accomplishing real things for the people of the state of Missouri. 

It was fitting that Senators Lincoln Hough and Justin Brown were on the Senate floor fighting for places in Missouri like the hospital in Salem and the crime lab in Poplar Bluff when the news of Kit’s passing broke. 

They were on the senate floor continuing his legacy of working on the real things that improve the lives of real Missourians… the Kit Bond type things. 

I have my own Kit Bond story. First, Highway 67 would still be a goat trail without Kit Bond and his amazing district representative, Tom Schulte. However, that was the type of thing Kit did so many times all over the state. 

On a more personal note it was the fall of the first year after founding The Missouri Times that I was at an event with Senator Bond. We stepped off to the side and shared a drink, told a few jokes, and made a plan to meet later in the month. 

Well, later that night I was emptying my jacket pockets and found a personal check from Kit Bond and in the memo he wrote subscription. The check was for far more than a subscription. I was so honored I hesitated to deposit it, but I’ve never forgotten it. 

State Auditor, the 47th and 49th Governor of Missouri and United States Senator are all impressive titles, but to me Kit Bond was and now will forever be more than those titles. 

His is a legacy that embodies putting Missouri over oneself, and above all, loving Missouri more than anything else. 

Kit Bond was the best of us, and to this day inspires so many others carry his legacy forward.

Scott Faughn

Scott Faughn is the publisher of The Missouri Times, owner of the Clayton Times in Clayton; SEMO Times in Poplar Bluff; and host of the only statewide political television show, This Week in Missouri Politics.

The post TWMP Column: Kit Bond was the best of us appeared first on The Missouri Times.

and television ad since he won the Republican nomination for soon-to-retire Roy Blunt’s Senate seat Aug 2.

Schmitt beat out Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler and former Gov. Eric Greitens in his primary bid, winning by 23 points.

His next opponent is Trudy Busch Valentine, daughter of St. Louis beer magnate August “Gussie” Anheuser Busch, who beat Marine veteran and former Pentagon staffer Lucas Kunce by five points for the Democratic nomination.

With the primaries done and less than three months to go before the general election, the time for election ads is upon us.

Schmitt’s new ad, titled “Wrong for Farmers,” was released this week during the Missouri State Fair, the largest gathering of members of the agricultural community in the state.

The ad depicts a dark screen, in which a narrator criticizes Busch Valentine’s support of President Joe Biden, as well some of President Biden’s recent legislation regarding energy policy, the environment and inflation.

The ad ends with the narrator claiming that Trudy Busch Valentine and Joe Biden are wrong for farmers and the state of Missouri. Schmitt himself does not appear in the ad, with the exception of his message of approval at the very end.

The ad also targets a demographic that has been reeling lately, the farmers of Missouri. A summer of drought has dominated the lives of many farmers in the state. Both crop and livestock have each taken a hit these past few months.

As of today, Schmitt has received an endorsement from the Missouri Soybean Association, a major agriculture group in the state.

Busch Valentine has yet to release an ad of her own regarding the general election.

The post Schmitt strikes first with general election campaign ad appeared first on The Missouri Times.

“We are thrilled to have Missouri Gov. Mike Parson’s support in our campaign. He and I both share the same conservative values, life experiences, and background as farmers and small business owners. I’m thankful for Governor Parson’s leadership of our state and his strong commitment to defend our freedoms,” Bruce said in a press release.

Missouri Farm Bureau’s PAC endorsement is historic, being the first time the Missouri Farm Bureau has endorsed a candidate in an open-seat primary election.

Bruce has significant connections to Farm Bureau as the only farmer in the race. She served as the national chair of the American Farm Bureau Federation’s young farmers and ranchers committee in 2017.

“Kalena is a shining star in the farming community,” Trent Drake, chairman of the MoFB’s West Central Regional Endorsement Committee said.  “Her common-sense Missouri values, experience as a small business owner and determination to fight for our way of life will make her an outstanding representative in the U.S. Congress.”

The Missouri Farm Bureau held the endorsement session Monday night. Trustees from the Missouri Farm Bureau West Central Regional Endorsement Committee, who are selected by their county-level Farm Bureau organizations, endorsed Bruce after asking questions to the four Mo-04 candidates who chose to attend.

The Mo-04 race has been defined by a lack of career politicians, the only candidate who has served in state politics before being state Sen. Rick Brattin, R-Cass County.

The other Republican candidates include Mark Alford, who’s background is in television journalism and Taylor Burks, a veteran who previously served as the Boone County Clerk.

Former Blues forward Jim Campbell, retired Navy Seal and member of the State Department William Irwin, and Kyle Labrue, owner of Labrue Development concepts make up the rest of the Republicans in the primary.

Both the Democratic and Libertarian primaries for Mo-04 are uncontested.

Featured Image: Kalena Bruce views herself as a “conservative outsider.” Bruce recently reciever major endorsements from Gov. Mike Parson and the Missouri Farm Bureau. (PROVIDED)

Matthew McFarland

I’m a journalist hailing from the Detroit area. I love to tell investigative stories with a focus on everyday people.

You can contact me by email at matthew@missouritimes.com

The post Gov. Parson, Farm Bureau endorse Bruce in CD4 appeared first on The Missouri Times.

The poll, conducted by WPA Intelligence, found 39% of responders view Burlison as “favorable” while the opposing candidates only scored 29% each. The poll also shows Burlison leading in name recognition and overall net-favorability.

The poll was conducted over-the-phone between May 20-22. The sample size was 404 randomly selected Republican voters in the district, with a margin of error of 4.4%. 

The race for the Republican seat in CD 7 has and will continue to be a tight one. Burlison is running against fellow member of the Senate conservative caucus Sen. Mike Moon, R-Lawrence County, and former Sen. Jay Wasson.

A different poll, conducted by American Viewpoint, found Burlison in third place, Moon in second, and Wasson in first.

Dr. Sam Alexander and minister Alex Bryant are also contending for the seat. 

Missouri’s CD 7 covers a large swath of the southwest region of Missouri. The district includes the major metropolitan areas of Joplin and Springfield. 

GOP Congressman Billy Long currently represents the district, but is vacating the seat to run a tight race of his own. Long is running in the Republican primary for Missouri’s Senate seat, left open by the retirement of Sen. Roy Blunt.

Long is opposed by fellow U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Mo 04, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, Missouri Senate President Pro Tempore Dave Schatz, former Gov. Eric Greitens and attorney Mark McCloskey in the race.

Kelton Turner

Kelton is a 2023 graduate of the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies. He is a native of mid-Missouri and likes to write politics at both the state and federal levels. Kelton joined the Missouri Times in April 2022

www.themissouritimes.com

The post New poll says Burlison leads CD 7 race, opposing previous poll’s results appeared first on The Missouri Times.

The map is comprised of eight districts, six of which reliably lean Republican. The map was immediately put into effect due to an emergency clause within HB 2909.

This means the new map will be in place during the 2022 midterm elections for the U.S. House of Representatives and for the race to fill Senator Roy Blunt’s seat as he will not seek re-election.

Congressional districts are required to be changed every 10 years as new Census data becomes available. 

Missouri was one of the last states to approve its redistricting map. Considerable debate and attempts to create a 7-1 Republican majority as opposed to a 6-2 advantage led to significant delays. 

Parson lamented the time it took to get Missouri’s map approved.

“This past session, we saw a few individuals’ political posturing to obstruct key pieces of priority legislation and promote inefficient and ineffective government,” Parson said in a statement. “It’s unfortunate so much time and productivity were lost just to receive a map with the same partisan split that was proposed six months ago.”

County clerks in Missouri now face a time crunch that clerks in other states do not. Especially in newly split counties like Boone and Webster, clerks will have to scramble to get the correct ballots sent to the proper addresses by the August primary elections.

“I am confident talking to some of the clerks over the weekend. They’re well prepared,” Parson said. “I’m confident they’ll get it right. And I think they are too. They would like to have started it 60 days ago. So again, I think the end result is the same today as it would have been in January.”

The post Parson signs new congressional map into law, will go into immediate effect appeared first on The Missouri Times.

Walsh, a Republican from Ashland, said she voted for the new congressional maps that put her into the 3rd district because “it was good for conservatives and good for Missouri.” However, the new map, she said, removed her “strongest base of support [and] has a severe impact on the chances of success for my campaign.” 

Walsh announced her congressional candidacy in July, vying for a seat left open by Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler who is running for U.S. Senate. Her campaign promise was to “defend the American dream.” 

She has served HD 50 in the legislature — encompassing parts of Boone, Cole, Cooper and Moniteau counties — since she was elected to the General Assembly in 2017. Prior to her time in the General Assembly, Walsh served as a Member Services Coordinator for the Missouri Pharmacy Association, a staff auditor in the Auditor’s Office, and the Program and Outreach Manager for the National Newspaper Association, among other things. 

During her candidacy, both Walsh and her husband, Steve Walsh, contracted COVID-19. Steve Walsh, who was an aide to Hartzler, died in August 2021 from complications from COVID pneumonia. 

“In some respects, it feels like a lifetime ago when my husband Steve and I decided to declare my candidacy for Congress,” Walsh said in a statement Monday. “After a time of grief and prayer, I continued onward, partly in memory of my husband and partly to continue the race set before me — to continue fighting for God and country like we did our entire marriage.” 

“In good conscience, I cannot continue to ask for sacrificial contributions for my campaign from good people who are suffering under skyrocketing gas prices, soaring food prices, baby formula shortages, and other inflationary challenges when my campaign may not be victorious due to the new congressional district map,” Walsh said. 

In her statement, Walsh did not endorse one of the other GOP candidates for the seat but instead encouraged her supporters to research and choose for themselves who they will back for CD 4. 

Other candidates include Sen. Rick Brattin, former news anchor Mark Alford, cattle farmer Kalena Bruce, Navy veteran Taylor Burks, and former police officer Bill Irwin. 

Former state Sen. Ed Emery had also launched a campaign for the seat but died on Aug. 6. 

The post Sara Walsh withdraws from congressional race appeared first on The Missouri Times.

“The Missouri Corn Growers Association is pleased to lend our support to Vicky Hartzler in her race for the U.S. Senate,” MCGA President Jay Schutte, of Benton City, said. “A longtime supporter of corn growers and farmer herself, Vicky and her family understand the struggles government regulations can impose on agriculture.”

Hartzler has represented the 4th congressional district since 2011. She faces Congressman Billy Long, Attorney General Eric Schmitt, state Sen. Dave Schatz, former Gov. Eric Greitens, and attorney Mark McCloskey in the Republican primary. Senator Roy Blunt is retiring.

“It’s more important than ever that the U.S. Senate has a representative of the people who understands Missouri’s number one industry and has rural Missouri values. That’s Vicky Hartzler. She knows first-hand the challenges and rewards of farming and has a tremendous amount of appreciation for our farmers and ranchers, agricultural associations, and ag businesses,” Hartzler’s team said.

To receive an endorsement from MCGA, Hartzler had to meet criteria established by the board of directors, a governing body comprised of 14 corn growers throughout Missouri. These standards include a strong voting record on MCGA’s top issues, as well as being a recipient of the organization’s esteemed Public Servant Award.

Hartzler is a family farm owner in Harrisonville and sits on the House Agriculture Committee.

“She listens to our questions and concerns and is committed to working alongside us as a supporter of the Next Generation Fuels Act to help reduce our dependence on foreign oil,” Schutte said. “We extend our thanks to Congresswoman Hartzler for her dedication to corn growers on the many different issues we face.”

The Missouri Corn Growers Association was formed in 1978 to advance policies that will help protect the rights of members, build new markets for corn, and increase opportunities through partnerships within agriculture and beyond.

The post Missouri Corn Growers Association endorse Hartzler for US Senate appeared first on The Missouri Times.

“The people of rural Missouri are eager for bold, decisive, conservative leadership in Washington. They crave a leader who will share their stories and fight their battles with resolve and conviction. I have spent my life telling the stories of Missourians to shine a light on their struggles and successes. I pray for the chance to earn their support and their votes, so that I can take their stories to Washington, and fight for better outcomes for them and their families,” said Alford. “I am so grateful for the many Missourians who have contributed both financially and with their time to help this campaign. Every cent is being put to good use, to spread our message of optimism and resolve across rural Missouri. I pledge to be the loudest, strongest, most consistent voice for rural Missourians that the House has ever seen. Thanks to all who make this campaign possible and who are helping it grow. Together we will bring a better, brighter, and blessed future to our state!”

To watch Mark’s video thanking supporters for their contributions in Q1 of 2022 and announcing the recent endorsement of Sedalia Mayor John Kehde, click here. To learn more about Mark’s campaign, please visit www.AlfordforCongress.com.

Since launching his campaign, Mark has been endorsed by numerous elected officials across the state, including:

• Blue Springs Mayor Carson Ross
• Clinton Mayor Greg Lowe
• Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott
• Henry County Sheriff Kent Oberkrom
• Bates County Commissioner Jim Wheatley
• Bates County Commissioner Ken Mooney
• Bates County Commissioner Trent Nelson
• Bates County Recorder of Deeds Danyelle Baker
• Bates County Assessor Carl Bettels
• Henry County Presiding Commissioner Jim Stone
• Johnson County Presiding Commissioner Densil Allen
• Johnson County Western Commissioner Charles Kavanaugh
• Johnson County Eastern Commissioner John Marr
• Johnson County Prosecuting Attorney Robert Russell
• Johnson County Recorder of Deeds Stormy Taylor
• Johnson County Treasurer Heather Reynolds
• Platte County Sheriff Mark Owen
• Lake Lafayette Mayor Donny Reynolds
• Raymore City Councilman Tom Circo
• Raymore City Councilman John Berendzen

The post Mark Alford raises $208K in Q1 for congressional bid appeared first on The Missouri Times.

Republican Roy Blunt is retiring in 2022.
There will be no filling the enormous void left by legendary Missouri Senator Roy Blunt as he retires from the senate. However, the primary is proving to be as interesting as Senator Blunt was effective. Let’s take a look at the fundraising of the candidates, but keep in mind federal campaign finance is one of the most screwed up things anyone could ever devise so much of the spending will be done through anonymous dark money PACs.

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt
Attorney General Schmitt has pretty expertly used his job as AG to position himself as a conservative fighter to the point that even his rivals in the race give him credit for. The issues of schools force masking kids was a key touchpoint that connected his job as AG to real republican activists. One more variant and one more mask order and he will have an actual lead in this race.

Barring that, he has put himself in the best financial position with a near $3 million dollars advantage over anyone in the race, and now that it is basically a three way tie between himself, Congresswoman Hartzler, and Greitens that money will matter along with AFP pumping over $1 million in IEs already.

From the beginning of the race when he was in the single digits to today when he has at least the best momentum in the race if not the lead he has been the most upwardly mobile. It will be interesting to see if Greitens’ attack ads blunt that momentum.

Bottom line: He keeps it up; he is right in the running with the momentum, and gets the biggest share of any voter who peels off Greitens. Another variant, and he is likely the senator.

Contributions this period: $2,924,918
Cash on hand: $$1,301,574
Debt: $6,360
Cash on hand minus debt: $1,295,214
Save Missouri Values PAC
Contributions this period: $4,580,119
Cash on hand: $3,351,577

Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler 
The congresswoman has been like a diesel engine slowly and consistently building a campaign that I figure once you’re on board you’re there. She as by a long shot the best group of rural ag folks working for her, and the Hawley endorsement is a big big deal. Now she is going to have to get Senator Hawley to shake loose some of that money. To that end a PAC has been set up the Hawley Show-Me Strong PAC, but it only has raised $14,100. Being a woman, and an undeniably moral person gives her the best angle to attack Greitens, but does that just peel voters off to Schmitt? It’s what makes this race so compelling.

Bottom line: She keeps pouring it on, and she has by far the best claim to the undecideds out there. If she gets the biggest share of those, and Senator Hawley gives a fundraising boost, she likely wins.

Contributions this period: $2,431,638
Cash on hand: $1,526,540
Debts: $47,123
Cash on hand minus debt: $1,179,417
Secure Our Freedom Action Fund
Contributions this period: $44,000
Cash on hand: $38,797

Former Governor Eric Greitens
At this point everyone knows who Eric Greitens is, there really isn’t any question about what you’re voting for if you’re still in that basement.
The question that will be answered this summer is: Who are Missouri Republicans?
He has always ran his campaigns on dark money and out of state contributions, and will again here. We didn’t count The G Team money because he counted in with his candidate committee.
The most telling statistic on this tipsheet is after the former First Lady’s allegations broke on the 21st of last month only 6 Missourians contributed to him for a total of $1,000, and half of that was from his own family.

Bottom Line: If domestic violence, blackmailing mistresses, and child abuse are what the Missouri Republican Party stands for then he wins. If not then he loses.

Contributions this period: $1,869,078
Cash on hand: $345,162
Debt: $145,848
Cash on hand minus debt: $199,314
TEAM PAC
Contributions this period: $2,500,000
Cash on hand: $1,732,157
Missouri First PAC
Contributions this period: $297,455
Cash on hand: $231,080

Congressman Billy Long
The Billy Bus really hasn’t fired up until the last couple weeks. Look he would fire off a few here and there, but in the last couple weeks the Billy that I know and love has been pretty consistently firing off.
He is the most compelling interview in the field and if all six candidates had dinner with all 6 million Missourians he would win. However, I think he should just put a GoPro on someone and have them follow him around all the time on the campaign trail. I’d watch.
Best moment of his campaign so far was when Senator Hawley fired him up over how he handled the Hartzler endorsement, and when President Trump fired off a great tweet highlighting his campaign.

Bottom line: If he can get his personality out to voters he can shake the race up. If not then he could choose to be an attack dog on one candidate and probably sink them.

Contributions this period: $1,588,958
Cash on hand: $500,546
Debts: $250,000
Cash on hand minus debt: $250,546

Mark McCloskey
I’ve consistently said it, and still believe it: there is something there with this campaign. He does connect with republicans, but running for office is very very hard. Starting your career running for the US Senate is even harder. He has had staff issues, and still hasn’t been able to tap into the online money that I believe is out there for him.
It still bewilders me that he leaves his house without his machine gun. Back home we would say: “dance with the gun that brung ya.”

Bottom line: He can connect with people, but the organization side has to improve or it won’t matter.

Contributions this period: $1,015,660
Cash on hand: $38,195
Debts: $118,769
Cash on hand minus debt: -$80,574

State Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz
Senator Schatz is looking for 20% of reasonably traditional pro-business republicans and is trying to build a campaign network to identify and organize them.
He is positioning himself as the reasonable and real person in the room. That cash on hand number is probably important here, and not so much the minus debt. That money is his and as I understand it he intends to spend it.

Bottom line: If there is that 20% out there I think he will spend the money to find them. However, he will have to convince them he can win because they will be the most discerning about not spoiling their vote.

Contributions this period: $2,258,267
Cash on hand: $2,134,509
Debts: $2,000,000
Cash on hand minus debt: $94,509

Lucas Kunce
Kunce caught a bad break with Gussie Busch’s daughter stepping into the race. However, he has very defty portraying her as the more centrist candidate and he is the most liberal. The guy can raise money and it’s really impossible to tell what type of candidate Ms. Busch-Valentine will be so why not carry on?

Bottom line: This primary only really matters if Greitens wins, but in reality he could, and that means Lucas Kunce has a real chance to be a US Senator.

Contributions this period: $3,325,684
Cash on hand: $942,035
Debts: $0
Cash on hand minus debt: $942,035

Trudy Busch Valentine
If you read a resume and it said Gussie Busch’s daughter, nurse, philanthropist with 100% name ID, and most all of it positive could self fund her own race against a guy who resigned in disgrace after blackmailing his mistress, striking his ex-wife, and knocking his son’s tooth out you would say this has to be a novel, or you would say Missouri Democrats who literally never have any luck could have this happen to them, but no that actually could be the case this fall.
She had a stumble in the woke parts of Missouri democratic politics with some ball she went to when she was a kid, but that won’t matter in the fall.
Who knows what kind of candidate she will be, but coming out early against defunding the police is the first start for a viable statewide democrat.

Bottom line: This is the ideal situation for democrats. A woman who can help fund the race, 100% name ID, and has made it clear she won’t get trapped in the woke lane to losing. Again it only matters if Greitens wins the primary.

Spencer Toder
Cool guy, cool campaign. He spends the limited dollars he has loaned the campaign doing good works for folks. I think he may be around for a while.

Bottom line: This looks like it isn’t his time, but I think he is impressive and look for him to run again and next time for something he wins.

Contributions this period: $434,868
Cash on hand: $23,392
Debts: $254,684
Cash on hand minus debt: -$231,292

Governor 

Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe
He is the only “announced” candidate and is putting together the most broadly supported campaign I’ve ever seen thus far. You say that you can’t meet enough people to matter in a statewide race, well Mike Kehoe is testing that theory.
From the Cattlemen, the Firefighters, to ag he is stockpiling endorsements, and money. It’s very likely that Mike Kehoe has the best rolodex in the state when it comes to raising money. However, endorsements like the firefighters are some of the best in the state as they not only show up at parades, but make for great press events, and wrote Kehoe a $50,000 check.
It could have been some foreshadowing when the Kehoe campaign gave a quote from a spokesman basically framing the race as a self made man vs. someone who isn’t. If they can frame the race that way it could chip away at Ashcroft’s greatest strength. More importantly, it shows that Kehoe is coming to fight for the nomination.
I’m not sure what more you could do right now in a race that is two years away.

Contributions this period: $58,540
Contributions this cycle: $585,530
Cash on hand: $467,434
American Dream PAC
Contributions this period: $171,096
Contributions this cycle: $171,096
Cash on hand: $973,150
Total cash on hand: $1,440,584

Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft
While the secretary isn’t “officially” running for governor he is now officially running for governor with his eruption in fundraising this quarter.
The only knock on Secretary Ashcroft is that he has never been a tremendous fundraiser, well he raised more in the first quarter of this year than any quarter ever, and close to any election ever.
He of course starts any republican primary with a huge name ID and he has a poll showing him winning 50-20% which I assume is close to right at this stage.
There is a conventional wisdom that Kehoe’s path is through out fundraising Ashcroft if that is the case then Jay made a huge statement this quarter.

Contributions this period: $36,995
Contributions this cycle: $221,862
Cash on hand: $537,036
Committee for Liberty PAC
Contributions this period: $760,000
Contributions this cycle: $904,484
Cash on hand: $944,927
Total cash on hand: $1,481,963

State Auditor

State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick
The incumbent Treasurer began with an advantage in infrastructure and from having run statewide before. There was thought early on that he would be well behind in fundraising. Well the Sinquefields and some support from Governor Parson has as of now pretty much leveled the playing field. It’s my thought that it’s impossible to have very much name ID in this race so buying air time will matter, and Fitzpatrick has to feel very good about the summer if he can be at money parity with Gregory.

Contributions this period: $99,099
Contributions this cycle: $590,481
Cash on hand: $576,058
Missourians for a Responsible Budget PAC
Contributions this period: $5,500
Contributions this cycle: $538,730
Cash on hand: $264,154
Total cash on hand: $840,212

Representative David Gregory
Gregory jumped out to a flurry of police and firefighter endorsements and fundraising. He has shown this is a serious race that could go either way.
His fundraising has forced the incumbent to loan his campaign money, and last quarter Gregory matched him by investing in the race himself.
Gregory has a built in message about Jeff City folks picking the man who audits the books, but he may not wanna offend the folks he might with that line of attack.
Either way this will be a tight race all summer.

Contributions this period: $50,192
Contributions this cycle: $493,702
Cash on hand: $448,335
Show Me Growth PAC
Contributions this period: $50,500
Contributions this cycle: $476,817
Cash on hand: $406,612
Total cash on hand: $854,947

Scott Faughn

Scott Faughn is the publisher of The Missouri Times, owner of the Clayton Times in Clayton; SEMO Times in Poplar Bluff; and host of the only statewide political television show, This Week in Missouri Politics.

The post April 2022 Tipsheet: Statewides appeared first on The Missouri Times.

Roberts, a Democrat who is challenging the progressive incumbent in the 1st district, highlighted his background in the legislature, as an attorney, and as a captain in the Air National Guard in the 2-minute spot. 

“Here’s my promise: My Twitter feed, it’s not going to be the first thing on my mind. I won’t be focused on my next national television interview,” Roberts said. “Instead, my Air Force core values of integrity first, service before self, and excellence in everything will be my priority.” 

“I don’t need the fame. I don’t seek the celebrity. I just want to deliver results,” Roberts said. 

Roberts criticized Bush’s voting record on the infrastructure package, aid to Ukraine and more. 

“Sure, she’s progressive, but she’s not effective and clearly not interested in the job as a member of Congress,” Roberts said in the ad. 

Roberts, who was the youngest Black state senator in Missouri history when he was elected to the upper chamber, officially filed to challenge Bush in late March. 

In a recent appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” Bush said she calls herself a “politivist.” 

“I’m not taking off my activist hat to be in Congress,” she said. “Politivist, it’s the politician and the activist. The activist is going to push, going to be on the ground and listen and have the courage to move things that other people might not feel comfortable moving. The politician has the pen; the politician has the power of the purse. So marrying the two says: I hear what the people need, I’m out here with the people. I make a choice to be on the ground and then also use that to inform legislation.”

"I'm not taking off my activist hat to be in Congress. I call myself a Politivist." – @CoriBush #LSSC pic.twitter.com/VEj3eIoJWC

— The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) April 13, 2022

Bush has represented Missouri’s 1st congressional district since 2021 after she defeated longtime Congressman Lacy Clay in the Democratic primary.

The post Roberts takes swings at Bush in campaign video appeared first on The Missouri Times.