Cook outpaced Kinder in recent fund-raising cycle

* The Republican had more money available heading into October.

By Marc Powers

Nevada Daily Mail

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Replenishing a campaign account drained in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor, Bekki Cook raised $1.30 for every $1 Peter Kinder, the Republican nominee for the office, collected last month. However, Kinder reported one-third more money on hand.

According to campaign finance disclosure reports filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission, Cook received $341,637 in cash and in-kind contributions from Aug. 29 through Sept. 30. At the close of that period, she had $412,341 in the bank.

Kinder, meanwhile, brought in donations totaling $262,276 and had $549,420 on hand.

Cook received 21.5 percent of her money, or $73,425, from Democratic Party organizations and special interest groups, primarily labor unions.

Major contributors included the Carpenters Union, which through various affiliated groups provided $6,000, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, which chipped in $4,100.

The maximum individual contribution for a statewide race is $1,200, but deep-pocketed organizations commonly establish several legally separate entities through which they can make multiple donations for the cap.

Lawyers from around Missouri also donated heavily to Cook's campaign.

Kinder collected $43,581 from special interest groups and Republican Party committees.

Such sources accounted for 16.6 percent of his total collections.

St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch was among Kinders biggest benefactors.

Busch family members and various companies under the brewer's corporate umbrella combined to provide Kinder with at least $13,200.

Businesses in general provided Kinder a solid base of financial support.

Also on the Nov. 2 ballot for lieutenant governor are Bruce Hillis of Dexter, the Constitution Party candidate, and Libertarian Mike Ferguson of Belton. Neither has raised significant amounts of money.