Missouri congressional incumbents flush with cash heading into primary election

Missouri congressional incumbents seeking reelection hold a huge cash advantage over their leading challengers, final preprimary campaign finance reports show.

The seven incumbents seeking reelection held $13.6 million in their campaign accounts on July 15, filings with the Federal Election Commission show. Challengers held $1.9 million.

Republicans hold six of Missouri’s eight seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Last year, the Republican-led majority in the General Assembly forced through a gerrymandered redistricting plan intended to flip the 5th District, currently held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City.

Cleaver’s campaign had $1.1 million on hand as he awaits the winner of the Republican primary.

Among the six Republicans competing for the nomination to oppose Cleaver, Taylor Burks of Boone County held the most cash on July 15, the final day of the reporting period. Burks was sitting on $718,631, mainly because he loaned his campaign $900,000 when he launched it.

State Sen. Rick Brattin of Harrisonville held $222,510 in his campaign account.

Brett Hueffmeier, a one-time staff member for U.S. Sens. John Ashcroft and Kit Bond who now works in commercial real estate, loaned his campaign $275,000 but repaid $100,000 during the period and had $492 on hand.

None of the other candidates have raised more than $8,000. 

Outside groups seeking to help Burks or Brattin in the primary have spent $3.5 million.

The only incumbent facing a strong primary challenge on Aug.4 is U.S. Rep. Wesley Bell in the 1st District in St. Louis. Former U.S. Rep. Cori Bush is seeking to regain the seat she lost two years ago. 

Bush has raised $1.3 million but had only $98,433 on hand on July 15, the final day of the reporting period. Bell has raised $3.6 million and had $1.1 million on hand.

Outside spending in the primary has surpassed spending by both candidates. The United Democracy Project, funded by the American-Israel Political Action Committee, has spent $2.5 million and the New Democrat Majority PAC has spent $1.1 million, both to support Bell.

No other incumbent faces a well-funded primary opponent.

Among the other six incumbents, U.S. Rep. Jason Smith of Cape Girardeau, who represents the 8th District, held the most cash, just over $5 million. Smith’s best-funded Democratic challenger is former state Sen. Frank Barnitz of Lake Spring, who has raised $48,420 and had $19,800 on hand on July 15.

A primary opponent, Gordon Heslop of Rolla, has raised $70,606 as he seeks to replace Smith on the Republican ballot.

U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner of St. Louis County, who represents the 2nd District, was sitting on $4.2 million. She faces the best-funded general election challenger, with Democratic candidate Fred Wellman holding $242,217 after raising $1.2 million.

Both Wagner and Wellman have primary opponents but no one else in the race has raised $10,000 in the six-county district of eastern Missouri.

Other incumbents, and their best-funded opponents, are:

• U.S. Rep. Bob Onder of Lake Saint Louis, in the 3rd District. Onder’s campaign fund held $471,459, while Bethany Mann of St. Peters, making her third run for Congress, had $2,776.
• U.S. Rep. Mark Alford of Kansas City, in the 4th District. Alford had $747,401 on hand, while Hartzell Gray III of Lee’s Summit had $44,969.
• U.S. Rep. Eric Burlison of Springfield in the 7th District. Burilson had $953,675 in the bank on July 15. Missi Hesketh of Forsyth is the only Democrat running and had $33,543 on hand.

In the 6th District, where U.S. Rep. Sam Graves of Tarkio is the only incumbent not seeking reelection, the two Republican candidates with the most successful fundraising have collected almost identical amounts.

Radio host Chris Stigall raised $599,336, and Kansas City Councilman Nathan Willett reported $575,569. Their total expenses are nearly identical as well, with Stigall spending $433,286 and Willett spending $436,244.

Two outside groups, Come and Take It PAC and Conservative Future Fund, have spent $1.7 million. Come and Take It PAC has spent $1.5 million on behalf of Stigall and Conservative Future Fund has spent $235,181 backing Willett.