Regular Missourians Help Nixon Campaign Raise Nearly $750K in Fourth Quarter

Among Regular Missourians, Nixon Raises $150K More Than Blunt in Fourth Quarter
 
Blunt Fails to Return More Than $2 Million; Campaigns Now Virtually Tied in Real Cash-on-Hand

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Among regular Missourians, Attorney General Jay Nixon out-raised Gov. Matt Blunt by more than $150,000 in the fourth quarter of 2007.  Gov. Blunt raised only approximately $575,000 from sources other than Republican Party committees and Political Action Committees associated with Rex Sinquefield.  

The Nixon campaign, which did not accept contributions from political committees above the individual limit or from Sinquefield, raised more than $730,000 in the fourth quarter of 2007 and will report $1.75 million on hand.

Gov. Blunt reported $4.4 million on hand, but has only returned $2.2 million in over-limit contributions.  After taking into account the more than $2 million that Gov. Blunt still needs to return in over-limit contributions, the campaigns have virtually equal cash-on-hand totals.  Attorney General Nixon has returned all over-limit contributions.

"While Matt Blunt is exploiting loopholes in the campaign finance laws to raise money, Jay Nixon is appealing to regular Missourians who are ready to change the direction of our state," said Oren Shur, spokesman for Nixon's campaign.  "Whether he's running state government or running his campaign, Matt Blunt always uses the same playbook.  It says: Keep your wealthy friends close, exploit all possible loopholes in the law, and leave regular Missourians completely out of the process.  Matt Blunt's policies have made it more difficult for Missouri families to make ends meet, so it's not surprising that regular folks aren't lining up to contribute to his reelection campaign."    

Attorney General Nixon announced today that following a major grassroots push that generated more than 13,000 individual contributions, his campaign has raised nearly $5 million for the 2008 Governor's race. 

The candidates received the majority of their contributions from very different sources:

Two Candidates, Two Different Ways of Raising Campaign Money

Source of Contribution:

1. Rex Sinquefield and his 100 PACs:

Blunt: Based on his finance report, Blunt has accepted $124,950 from Rex Sinquefield's Political Action Committees.  [Papers Filed with Missouri Ethics Commission]

Nixon: Refused to accept. In November, Nixon publicly applauded the Missouri Education Roundtable for calling on all candidates to reject contributions from pro-voucher advocate and millionaire Rex Sinquefield or any of his 100 Political Action Committees. Nixon has never accepted contributions from Sinquefield or any of his PACs and has pledged never to do so in the future.

 2. Political Party Committee Contributions that Exceed Individual Contribution Limit ($1,275):

Blunt: Based on finance report, Matt Blunt has accepted $299,600 in money from Republican Party committees. [Papers Filed with Missouri Ethics Commission]

Nixon: Refused to accept. Nixon has called on the Missouri Legislature to enact legislation next session to create a campaign finance system that includes both strict contribution limits and full transparency by limiting the amount political party committees can donate to candidates to the same amount that individuals can contribute to candidates for state office.  For the Governor's race, that would mean reducing the amount political party committees could contribute to $1,275, down from the $12,750 allowed under the current law.  

3. Low-Dollar Contributions from Regular Missourians
 
Blunt: On his fourth quarter report, Blunt had only 135 itemized contributions of $100 or less on his finance report.

Nixon: After more than 60 grassroots fundraisers across the state and an intense online fundraising effort, the campaign has received more than 8,350 contributions of $100 or less from regular Missourians. The campaign raised tens of thousands of dollars online in small dollar contributions, including more than $30,000 in a final push for grassroots contributions leading up to the December 31 deadline.