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MISSOURI RACE A KEY BATTLE FOR CONTROL OF SENATE
The following piece was written by Pamela Brogan of the Gannett News Service
and was available online Friday, January 25, 2002.
WASHINGTON -- Special interest groups are pouring money into the
Senate race between Jean Carnahan, D-Mo. and former Rep. Jim Talent,
a Republican, but not because they're interested in who represents
Missouri.
Along with five other Senate races in Minnesota, South Dakota,
Arkansas, Colorado and New Hampshire, the Carnahan-Talent match-up
could determine the control of the Senate next year. Currently,
Democrats hold a slim, one-vote majority.
"Missouri is going to be flooded with campaign cash," predicted
Larry Makinson, a senior associate at the Washington, D.C.-based
Center for Responsive Politics. "The state is going to be assaulted
with campaign funds to pay for political advertising and get-out-the-
vote efforts."
The center tracks money in politics and its affect on elections
and public policy.
Rebecca Lambe, campaign director for Carnahan, agreed that both
parties would spend significant sums in Missouri this year.
"It's one of the top targeted races in the nation, there's a lot
of national interest," said Lambe, who directed the senator's state
activities before joining her campaign. "The senator has received
tremendous support, inside and outside of Missouri."
Carnahan ranks fifth in fund raising among all senators seeking re-
election this year and has raised $2.3 million in campaign donations.
Among all incumbents up for re-election this year, Carnahan is the
top recipient of campaign donations from lawyers and law firms. They
have donated $364,350 to her campaign to date, according to the
center.
Democratic interests have wasted no time in making Carnahan a top
recipient of their political largess, which is usually reserved for
incumbents who head powerful committees in Congress or are members of
the leadership.
For his part, Talent is not expected to suffer from a lack of
campaign contributions.
The former lawmaker amassed more than $5 million in general
election campaign funds in his unsuccessful bid to defeat Bob Holden
for governor.
"We fully expect to be competitive in this race," said Rich
Chrismer, Talent's campaign spokesman. "He's a proven fund-raiser."
The first public look at his fund-raising prowess will be made
public Jan. 31, when quarterly campaign finance reports are filed at
the Federal Election Commission. Carnahan also will report her latest
campaign donations.
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