JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster's most recent fundraising has exceeded the combined total of all his Republican opponents in the race for Missouri governor, reports filed Friday with the Missouri Ethics Commission show.
Koster raised $2.2 million in cash and in-kind donations between the beginning of the year and the end of March, while his four Republican rivals raised just under $2.1 million. Koster's $7.4 million in cash on hand is also larger than any of his GOP opponents' campaign accounts.
Former Navy SEAL officer Eric Greitens topped the Republican field with about $1 million in donations, bringing his cash on hand to $4.1 million.
Former U.S. attorney and Missouri House speaker Catherine Hanaway reported raising about $558,000, but more than half of that came from in-kind contributions rather than cash, including $241,520 from the Missouri Club for Growth Political Action Committee. That donation was for radio ads that ran from February through the end of March, mostly on Christian and conservative talk radio programs, Hanaway spokesman Nick Maddux said.
Hanaway's ended the quarter with more than $1.5 million on hand.
Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder raised about $332,000 this period, leaving him with about $624,000 in cash on hand.
St. Louis businessman John Brunner raised about $163,000. Although he raised the least in the Republican field, he has demonstrated an ability to self-fund his campaign. He spent more than $7.5 million of his own money on an unsuccessful race for U.S. Senate in 2012, and so far he has poured more than $3.7 million into this race.
Brunner's campaign spent about $522,000 this quarter, topping the field. Koster's campaign spent about $510,000, while Greitens spent about $320,000.
Greitens' has faced criticism for not returning $1 million given to him in previous quarters from a donor accused of sexual abuse. The donor, Michael L. Goguen, has denied the allegations and does not appear on this quarter's list of contributions.
Hanaway's campaign spending, which does not include the radio ads, exceeded $207,000. Kinder spent about $149,000.
Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon is barred from re-election because of term limits. The state's primary elections are August 2.
Voters will also choose party nominees for new lieutenant governor, attorney general, treasurer and secretary of state — none of which have incumbent candidates this year.