U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt’s Democratic challenger out-raised him in the third quarter, raking in $3 million for his insurgent campaign compared to Blunt’s $1.8 million, according to campaign finance information released by both campaigns on Wednesday.
It’s the latest sign of just how close the Missouri Senate race has become as Democrat Jason Kander looks to end Blunt’s 20 year career in Congress. A poll released on Wednesday by Monmouth University showed Kander within 2 percentage points of Blunt.
Kander’s campaign had it’s best fundraising quarter to date, bringing in more than $3 million for Kander’s campaign between July and the end of September and $780,000 for the Missouri Democratic Party.
Blunt’s campaign committee, Friends of Roy Blunt, reported raising $1.8 million for his campaign, as well as $1 million for the Missouri Republican Party’s federal account.
But Blunt still has more cash on hand than Kander, with $4 million left to spend before Election Day. Kander has $3.5 million.
“The Blunt Brigade just keeps stepping up because they know what is at stake,” said Blunt’s son and campaign manager, Andy Blunt, in a statement. “No one works harder for Missouri than Roy Blunt, and we have the resources we need to tell that story and help him keep delivering for Missouri in the U.S. Senate.”
Kander’s campaign noted that the 35-year-old Missouri Secretary of State had tapped 23,000 new donors in his third quarter haul. More than 94 percent of his contributions this quarter were small donations of $100 or less.
The surge in donations could be related to the rise of Kander’s profile nationally, thanks to a widely viewed ad that shows the 35-year-old Afghan war veteran assembling a AR-15 rifle blindfolded while talking about the need for background checks.
“By smashing our fundraising records and raising more than Senator Blunt, we know we will have the resources to win this election,” said Abe Rakov, campaign manager for the Kander campaign, in a statement.
“The campaign’s grassroots results prove that we have the resources and support necessary to share Jason’s vision of a new generation of leadership and turn out the vote across the state. As Missourians head to the polls the choice between Jason, a veteran who served his country at home and abroad, and Senator Blunt, a puppet of Washington lobbyists and special interest groups, could not be clearer.”
Lindsay Wise: 202-383-6007, @lindsaywise
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