Money pours in for Missouri ballot measures, local candidates

By Cameron Montemayor

With less than two weeks remaining before Missouri voters cast their ballots on Nov. 5, campaign disclosure reports are painting a striking picture of financial influence in this year’s election.

Tens of millions of dollars already have poured into the Show-Me state this election cycle, with some of the highest contributions going to political action committees tied to historic ballot measures for abortion rights and sports gambling.

If approved by a majority of voters, Amendment 2 would open the door for the Missouri Gaming Commission to regulate licensed sports wagering, including online sports betting and professional sports betting districts.

The measure has received significant financial backing from a PAC called Winning for Missouri Education, which is primarily funded by top U.S. gambling corporations like Boston-based DraftKings and FanDuel, based out of New York. Reports from the Missouri Ethics Commission show of the $21.5 million raised by the PAC to date, just over $15 million has come from DraftKings ($8.52 million) and FanDuel ($6.5 million) alone.

Winning for Missouri Education has vastly outraised its rival committee opposing the measure, which is called Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment. It has raised $4.1 million and spent $3.7 million to date.

Harrah’s Casino, Isle of Capri and two other prominent Missouri casinos — all of which are operated by Caesars Entertainment — have donated more than a million each to defeat the measure. The casino has a branded online sports betting platform that competes with gambling corporations like FanDuel and DraftKings.

Another historic measure on the November ballot, Amendment 3, would establish a legal right to make decisions about reproductive health care, including abortion and contraceptives. While six PACs have raised money in support or opposition to it, totaling $25.6 million, spending on that issue has been dominated by two PACs to the tune of $22.9 million.

Missouri Right to Life, a PAC in opposition to Amendment 3, has raised approximately $1.2 million. Notable contributors include former Missouri U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler ($2,500), former state Rep. Therese Sander ($25,000), Janet Ashcroft ($2,000) wife of former Missouri governor and U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft and Katie Ashcroft, ($200) wife of current Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft.

Disclosure reports also list a $210,000 contribution from D. John Sauer of the James Otis Law Group of St. Louis. Sauer is part of a legal team that represented former President Donald Trump in his high-profile election interference case. Sauer and two other lawyers from the firm filed a brief as recently as Dec. 20, 2023, in the U.S. Supreme Court to counter Special Counsel Jack Smith’s efforts to have the high court review the case, arguing that Trump could not be prosecuted for his attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

Overall, money raised by Missouri Right to Life has paled in comparison to opposing PAC Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, which as of October had recorded $21.8 million in contributions and $10.5 million in expenditures to support the ballot measure. Groups like Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union have funneled in more than $1.5 million. Former longtime New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg — with a net worth approaching $104 billion — has even chipped in $1 million along with $50,000 from supermodel Karli Kloss.

Kloss is married to Joshua Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner, husband of Ivanka Trump and former senior advisor to former President Donald Trump.

Contributions from outside nonprofit organizations like the Fairness Project ($2.1 million) and the Sixteen Thirty Fund ($3.5 million) mark two of the largest financial backers for the pro-abortion PAC.

Local, statewide races in the Show-Me state

In Buchanan County’s Western District Commissioner race, Republican Everett D. Goddard Jr. will seek to unseat longtime Democratic Commissioner Ron Hook and has raised $3,224.41 in his bid to do so, spending $3,450 to this point.

Goddard has received support from the Buchanan GOP PAC totaling $2,000.

The Missouri Ethics Commission database included no campaign filings or financial disclosures for Hook, who confirmed to News-Press NOW that he did not launch a formal campaign for this election.

The Lakeside Mini-Mart at Lake Contrary ($300) and Dusty Grippando ($200), owner of Dusty’s Auto Service on Lake Avenue, have both donated to Goddard’s campaign.

One of the top races in Missouri pits incumbent Josh Hawley, a Republican who is seeking his second term in Congress, against former Marine veteran and newcomer Lucas Kunce, a Democrat, for U.S. Senate.

Despite a grassroots effort, records show the Kunce campaign has raised $18.8 million and spent just over $17 million to date, nearly matching the $19.4 million raised this election cycle by Hawley’s campaign and a separate supporting PAC. Hawley has a slight advantage in expenditures with $20.8 million spent.

State races for Missouri House Districts 10 and 13 show sizable gaps in the amount of money raised between incumbents and their respective challengers.

Incumbent District 13 State Rep. Sean Pouche, a Republican who is seeking a third term representing parts of Platte and Buchanan counties, has raised $37,500 but spent just $4,656 thus far.

Pouche will face off with Democratic challenger Andrea Denning. Despite raising a fourth of Pouche’s total, Denning has narrowly outspent her opponent with $4,730 in recorded campaign expenditures. The Platte County Federated Women’s Democratic Club ($200) and the Burnett Law Office of Kansas City ($100) both have donated to her campaign.

Pouche has the financial backing of the Missouri Realtors PAC ($561) and several law enforcement and public safety unions like MO Law Enforcement PAC ($1,000), MO Council Fire Fighters PAC ($500) and the KCFOP PAC ($500).

Other notable contributors to Pouche’s campaign include:

• MoCannTrade PAC: $500 (Jefferson City)
• MO Optometric PAC: $850 (Jefferson City)
• NEXUS PAC: $2,000
• Platte County Republican Central CMTE: $1,000
• Bryan Cave Missouri PAC: $500
• AMECPAC: $500
• MHA Political Action Committee for Health: $500
• Centene Corp. PAC: $500
• Charter Communication Inc. MO PAC: $2,000

Missouri’s House District 10 race, which covers a large area of St. Joseph, will see incumbent Republican and former St. Joseph mayor Bill Falkner going against challenger Andrew Gibson. Gibson’s campaign has raised $10,634 as opposed to Falkner, who has raised $84,873. Falkner has outspent his opponent by a significant margin, $19,481 to Gibson’s $2,850.

Notable contributors to Falkner’s campaign include:

• Site Improvement Assoc. of Missouri PAC: $2,000
• Spire PAC: $1,500
• Missouri Pork PAC: $500
• Missouri Realtors PAC, INC: $1,000
• Missouri Corn Growers Assoc. State PAC: $300
• Better Schools for Missouri PAC: $300
• Missouri Broadband Providers PAC: $500
• Build St. Louis PAC: $500
• Missouri American Water Employees PAC: $500
• Kansas City Regional Assoc. of Realtors – MO PAC: $500
• ATGS PAC: $1,000
• Mid-America Carpenter’s Regional Council MO-KS Area PAC: $2,000

Reports show a large majority of Gibson’s campaign contributions have come from private citizens in St. Joseph, Faucett, Kansas City and Jefferson City. Additionally, Gibson does have financial support from several Democratic groups:

• Buchanan County Democratic Central Committee: $1,500
• Buchanan County Women’s Democratic Club: $300
• United Democratic Club: $500
• Missouri National Organization for Women PAC: $100