Nixon Campaign Raises $1.75 Million in Second Quarter of 2008; Reports $3.75 Million in Bank

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Attorney General Jay Nixon’s campaign for Governor today announced that after raising $1.75 million in the second fundraising quarter of 2008, it now has $3.75 million on hand for the governor’s race.

The strong fundraising quarter sends a clear message: Missourians are ready for change.

"Missourians are contributing to our campaign in record numbers because they know Jay Nixon has the experience it will take to bring about the change we need," said Oren Shur, Nixon's campaign spokesman.  "As Missouri families look at the candidates in this race, they see that Jay Nixon is the only candidate offering new, fresh ideas to move our state forward.  Meanwhile, our opponents want to stay the course with the same failed policies of Matt Blunt and George W. Bush.  With gas at $4 a gallon, jobs leaving the state and health care premiums skyrocketing, Missouri families simply can’t afford more of the same.  It’s time for a change."
 
In total, the campaign has received nearly 20,000 individual contributions, the majority of which were small-dollar donations of $100 or less.  Most of those contributions were generated by more than 120 grassroots fundraisers that regular Missourians have hosted across the state or through the campaign Web site, www.jaynixon.com.

Yesterday, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch published the results of the first newspaper-sponsored poll conducted since Gov. Blunt dropped out of the race.  According to the poll, Jay Nixon holds a strong lead over both Republican opponents (Nixon 53% - Hulshof 35%; Nixon 53% - Steelman 34%) The summary page of the filing report is available here.  The full report will be posted on the Missouri Ethics Commission Web site later today.