MPN Analysis: Koster collects 60 percent from political committees

State Sen. Chris Koster raised $441,000 in the third quarter of 2007 for his attorney general bid, more than half of which came directly from political committees.

Only $141,000 of Koster's total fundraising for the quarter came from in-state individuals and businesses not attached to political committees.

MPN's regional analysis of Koster's contributions greater than $100, excluding political committees, shows his strongest support in the Kansas City and St. Louis regions, tied at 41 percent of the total in-state non-committee donations (see map below). The two weakest areas were in the Northwest and Southeast from which Koster received no donations.

Koster's report has stirred controversy among Democrats due to the presence of $100,00 in donations from conservative Show Me Institute creator Rex Sinquefield, who announced earlier this week he had created 100 political action committees to fund candidates throughout the state. Koster received donations from three-quarters of them.

"Chris Koster has not learned much in his first 77 days as a Democrat,'’ Harris said in a statement today. “My opponent thumbs his nose at Democratic values when he allows himself to be bought and paid for by a conservative ideologue and think tank that trashes public education, praises pay day loan sharks and opposes universal access to health care,” Harris said. “I have a long and strong relationship with educators around the state and have fought tirelessly to protect and fund our public schools. You don’t fix public education by starving it. That is what my opponent supports by standing with ideologues like Right Wing Rex.”

Rep. Margaret Donnelly's attorney general campaign joined Harris in criticizing Koster's donations this quarter.

“I still don’t think Koster’s decided who he wants to be — whether or not he wants to be a Democrat or a Republican,” said Mike Kelley from Donnelly’s campaign. “The bulk of the money he took in during this last campaign came from Republican billionaires who are out seeking Republican issues. The reality is there’s definite questions about where his loyalties or if his loyalties are in the line with some of the core values of the Democratic party.”

Contribution figures in the map above represent regional totals based on addresses provided to the Ethics Commission. Percentages are total regional contributions divided by total in state contributions.

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