Brunner's early efforts point to heavy spending in Senate race
"WASHINGTON • Even before he became a candidate for the U.S. Senate, John Brunner spent $335,600 while deciding whether to run -- nearly one third of the $1 million-plus he has invested thus far in his quest for the Republican nomination.
Meanwhile, Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill relied partly on contributions from abortion rights advocates, labor unions and PACs controlled by other Democratic senators in topping all of her would-be GOP challengers in quarterly receipts, newly filed campaign finance reports show.
The reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) likely presage heavy spending by Senate candidates this year in addition to the outside money being spent in Missouri by super PACs and other entities in the wake of the Supreme Court's Citizens United case and other court rulings. The latest filing covers the last three months of 2011.
Brunner, the former Germ-X chief from Frontenac competing in a three-way GOP primary contest, pulled in $229,000 in contributions on top of the $1.03 million he has given his campaign thus far. Rep. Todd Akin, of Wildwood, earlier reported $232,000 for the fourth quarter of 2011 while former State Treasurer Sarah Steelman lagged behind with $83,000 in receipts.
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