Webber’s Senate war chest grows to over $100,000

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A former state House member and ex-chair of the state Democratic Party has raised more than $100,000 in his 2024 bid for Boone County's state Senate seat.

Candidates in the 2024 elections were required to turn in their fundraising reports for the first quarter of 2023 on Monday. Stephen Webber, who is seeking the Democratic nomination in the 19th Senate District, reported taking in nearly $104,000 since the start of the year. He announced his campaign in early January.

Former Democratic Missouri secretary of state Jason Kander and his wife, Diana Kander, each gave Webber the maximum $2,400 individual donation. Webber also received donations from several political action committees, including those representing soybean growers and Shelter Insurance.

Randy Minchew, a Republican who has run campaigns for Columbia mayor and city council, has formed a committee to raise money for a run in the 19th Senate District. He had not filed a finance report by late Monday afternoon.

44th House District

LINK: Missouri House district map

One candidate has formed a committee to run for the 44th House District -- Democrat Dave Raithel.

Raithel ran in 2022 in the district that covers southern and eastern Boone County but lost to Republican incumbent Cheri Toalson Reisch. Reisch is unable to run again because of term limits.

Raithel raised nearly $1,200 during the first three months of the year.

45th House District

First-term Democratic representative Kathy Steinhoff is the only candidate to form a committee so far in the heavily Democratic 45th House District.

Steinhoff only took in $289 since the start of the year but her campaign has nearly $22,000 on hand.

46th House District

Incumbent Democrat David Tyson Smith filed a statement of limited fundraising for the first three months of the year, meaning his campaign raised little to no money.

However, Tyson Smith, who also holds a strongly Democratic district, listed close to $60,000 in campaign funds on his January quarterly finance report.

47th House District

Republican John Martin has formed a committee to run for the 47th House District seat, which covers western and northwestern Boone County.

The seat has been held since January by Democrat Adrian Plank. Martin ran unsuccessfully against Plank last year after Republican Chuck Basye ran into term limits and the district was redrawn to exclude more conservative areas outside Boone County.

50th House District

First-time representative Douglas Mann is the only person who has formed a committee to raise money in the 50th House District.

Mann, a Democrat, was elected last year to the district that includes parts of Columbia and Boone County. He reported raising nearly $2,400 during the first three months of the year. His campaign has more than $9,000 on hand.