Cape Girardeau City Council Ward 3 candidate Trent Summers collected $1,725 in contributions, outpacing his opponent Ellen Dillon by almost double, according to finance reports filed late last month.

Dillon reported that she had collected $985 as of Feb. 18 in the document that was due at the Cape Girardeau County clerk's office Feb. 23. She also reported that she had about $875 cash on hand. Dillon is a speech and communication instructor at Southeast Missouri State University.

But both candidates said Wednesday they had collected more since then, raising Summers' totals to more than $3,000 and Dillon saying she had raised about $1,700.

Ellen Dillon

"I feel very confident in the level of support we've received so far," said Summers, an account executive with Red Letter Communications. "I'm excited to be going door to door and using various means to get our message out."

At the same time, Dillon said she does not see the fundraising disparity as a disadvantage.

"I've already got signs up," she said. "My brochures have been going out for months. And I've been out in the neighborhood at least twice a week since November. I'm picking it up a little bit more now and I think that does more good than anything."

Summers received much of his support from friends and family members, including state Sen. Scott Rupp, a Wentzville, Mo., Republican who gave $250. The two met when Summers worked in Jefferson City, Mo., several years ago.

"I've known Trent for a long time," Rupp said. "I know he shares common sense, conservative values and he'd be good in any number of leadership positions."

Summers, who is married to Cape Girardeau County Clerk Kara Clark Summers, got several donations from family members, including $500 from a sister-in-law, $300 from Clark Summers' parents and $300 from Prestige Development. Prestige is owned by developer Kenny Pincksten, who is married to a second sister of Clark Summers. He also received a $50 donation from David Knight, a developer who helped bring Isle of Capri's new casino to Cape Girardeau. Summers served as committee chairman for the campaign committee that persuaded voters to approve a casino ballot item.

"I reached out to my friends and family to support me," Trent Summers said. "They share my belief in conservative, fiscally responsible idea of what government should be."

Dillon's two largest donors, according to the filing, were $250 individual contributions that came from two political action committees -- CWA District 6 Political Education Committee in St. Louis and the Southeast Missouri Labor Club.

Dillon and Summers each met with the labor club to share their views and the group endorsed Dillon with its check book. After hearing from both candidates, the group considered its options and donated to Dillon because it felt she would represent the city and its members very well, according to club secretary Kara Hutchason.

"Ellen seemed to be the type of candidate who will stand up for the little guy and give a voice to the citizens of her ward as well as any individual who resides, works or frequently does business in the city of Cape Girardeau," Hutchason said in a written response for comment.

Dillon said she doesn't have any problems being affiliated with unions. She said she shares their concern that money that comes into the town due to increased revenue should stay in Cape Girardeau by hiring local labor.

"I don't have a problem with labor," she said. "They gave us minimum wage and helped women work their way up in the workforce."

Both candidates said they had plans to ratchet up their campaigns, with less than a month until the April 3 election. The winner will replace outgoing Ward 3 Councilwoman Debra Tracy, who is running for public administrator.

smoyers@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

401 Independence, Cape Girardeau, MO