Three incumbents get outraised in Kansas, Missouri

Two incumbents in Kansas and one in Missouri were outraised over the last three and a half months, as three of the biggest House races in the country took form before their early August primaries.

Reps. Nancy Boyda (D-Kan.), Dennis Moore (D-Kan.) and Sam Graves (R-Mo.) all saw their opponents take at least a momentary edge in the money chase between April 1 and July 16, the adjusted second quarter filing period for races with Aug. 5 primaries.

{mosads}Former Rep. Jim Ryun (R-Kan.) outraised Boyda $450,000 to $240,000, but he is being forced to spend heavily in a primary battle with state treasurer Lynn Jenkins. Jenkins raised $130,000 but held a $490,000 to $220,000 advantage over Ryun in cash on hand.

Boyda has far more in the bank than either potential GOP challenger, with $890,000.

Kansas state Sen. Nick Jordan (R) used a May fundraiser with President George W. Bush to outraise Moore. Jordan brought in $480,000 – more than $300,000 of which was transferred from a committee connected to the Bush event – and had $620,000 on hand.

Moore, an oft-targeted Democrat, maintained a big cash advantage, though. He raised $340,000 and had $1.1 million left over.

Graves’s opponent, former Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes (D), continues to raise big money for what looks to be one of the most expensive House races in the country.

Barnes outraised Graves $480,000 to $330,000 and also has more cash, with $960,000 to Graves’s $940,000.

Numbers also came in this week for Missouri’s open 9th district seat, currently held by gubernatorial candidate Kenny Hulshof (R).

State Rep. Judy Baker continued to set the pace for the Democratic primary, raising $190,000 and having $140,000 in cash on hand. Former state House Speaker Steve Gaw was second with $110,000 raised and $40,000 in the bank.

On the GOP side, state Rep. Bob Onder and former state tourism director Blaine Luetkemeyer had the most cash heading into the home stretch.

Luetkemeyer raised less over the filing period, bringing in about $70,000, but he loaned his campaign another $325,000. Onder raised $100,000 and held a slight lead in cash, $150,000 to $140,000.

In Kansas’s Senate race, Sen. Pat Roberts (R) maintained a strong money advantage over former Rep. Jim Slattery (D), outraising him $970,000 to $650,000. Roberts has now raised more than $4 million for the race.

Tennessee’s reports for its Aug. 7 primary were also trickling in on Saturday. Candidates there had to file regular second quarter reports last week, so the newest reports only cover July 1 to July 18.

Freshman Rep. David Davis (R) and primary opponent Phil Roe both brought in about $30,000 for the latest period. But Roe, who has outraised Davis each of the last two quarters and faces an uphill battle, maintained a $220,000 to $170,000 edge in cash.

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R) raised slightly more than her primary opponent, Shelby County Register of Deeds Tom Leatherwood, but holds a huge cash advantage, $550,000 to $30,000.

Leatherwood released a poll recently showing that the race could be competitive, but Blackburn’s cash advantage appears to have her well-positioned.

A third Tennessean facing a primary challenge, freshman Rep. Steve Cohen (D), had yet to file as of Saturday afternoon, but opponent Nikki Tinker reported $25,000 raised and $100,000 on hand.

Cohen had $730,000 on hand at the end of June.

All Tennessee reports are due Saturday.