What Do Missouri Conservatives Think About the GOP Field?

The short answer might be give me another candidate.

I thought it may have been only I that found the current field of GOP Presidential candidates were pretty bland, but after snooping around on the net I do not think I am alone.

I did a campaign finance search on the zip code 65804 (Springfield, MO). In the 2004 election cycle this zip donated $227,145 to various GOP candidates and associates just over $50,000 of that went to the George W. Bush campaign. In that same cycle $154,230 went to democratic candidates and associates with $24,000 of that total going to the Kerry camp. With that kind of action I think I can assume that this zip leans to the right.

Now jump to today.

Excluding 3Q numbers which will be made available online next week this is what is going on in 65804.

The GOP related contribution total so far is $58,620, but the contributions going directly to Presidential candidates is only $3,950.

Romney    $2,100

Guliani        $1,000

McCain        $650

Paul        $200

For the democratic side the overall total is $16,022 and direct to a particular candidate totals $6,450

Obama        $3,800

Clinton        $1,000

Edwards    $750

Richardson    $500

Biden        $400

It is not that the GOP donors are not donating anything. Sen. Bond brought in $14,450 and Congressman Roy Blunt brought in $35,000 during the same period. This kind of lackluster fundraising by the GOP candidates really shows the cavernous gap between the dems and GOP. When or more importantly who will close this divide is anyone's guess at this point.

Next week I will pull the numbers again. The new set will include the 3Q receipts and we will see if any of the candidates have caught the eye of some of Missouri's biggest GOP donors.

Data provided by Opensecrets.org