PHYLLIS SCHWAB LEADS SPENDING FOR LOCAL OFFICES

JACKSON, Mo. -- Phyllis Schwab has raised more than $10,000 and spent over $7,600 in her effort to win the office of Cape Girardeau County public administrator.

Through the first six months of this year, Schwab has been the biggest spender among candidates for Cape Girardeau County public administrator and coroner, the two positions where there are contested races in the August primary.

Schwab of Jackson is one of three Republicans running for the public administrator position. The others are incumbent John Ferguson of Cape Girardeau and Ken Bryan of Cape Girardeau.

Ferguson hasn't filed a campaign finance disclosure report with the Cape Girardeau County clerk's office.

Candidates don't have to file campaign finance reports if they don't raise or spend over $1,000 or accept more than $250 from a single contributor other than themselves.

The latest campaign finance reports were due in mid-July. They cover the period from April 1 through June 30.

Schwab reported that she raised over $4.,000 over the past three months, bringing total contributions to $10,110.

Most of her contributions have come in the form of money that Phyllis and her husband, state Rep. David Schwab, have loaned the campaign.

In all, the Schwabs have loaned $8,000 to the campaign effort.

The Schwab campaign has spent $7,636, including over $3,100 in the latest reporting period.

Bryan reported raising $3,050 for his election campaign. Most of that money, $2,580, was raised earlier in the year.

Through June 30, he had spent $1,151. The total included $448 in the past three months, Bryan disclosed in his latest report.

He didn't itemize the spending in any of his campaign finance reports filed this year.

Democrat Michael Hurst of Cape Girardeau is also running for public administrator, but is unopposed in the primary.

Hurst has raised $1,770 this election year, including $1,505 over the past three months.

Hurst reported spending $1,642 on his campaign, most of it on yard signs and hand bills.

Coroner John Carpenter filed an exemption statement, which indicated he has spent less than $500 in his re-election bid.

County Clerk Rodney Miller said Carpenter wasn't required to file the statement.

Carpenter's two Republican opponents in the primary, Jackson residents Don "Butch" Gast and Wayne T. Godwin, haven't filed campaign finance reports for this election.

No Democrat filed for the seat.