Republican Peter Kinder of Cape Girardeau, who is not opposed for his party's nomination in the Aug. 4 primary, has a large fundraising edge over three Democrats running for the 27th District Missouri Senate seat.

According to campaign finance disclosure reports filed last week to reflect the period 40 days before the primary election, Kinder had raised $43,878 and spent $11,593. He had a balance of $32,285 in his account, which is more than the three Democratic candidates combined.

If loans to campaigns are not considered, Kinder has raised more money than the three Democrats combined.

Bill Burch of Sikeston has raised the most money of candidates in the Democratic field. Burch, owner of Burch Food Services and former mayor of Sikeston, listed total receipts of $32,201 and expenditures of $12,569, leaving a balance of $21,994.

Former State Rep. Betty Hearnes of Charleston, had receipts of $15,802, expenditures of $8,540, and a balance of $7,262.

The third candidate, Hugh White, a former Cape Girardeau city councilman who works in warehouse and transportation supervision at Wetterau Foods, had receipts of $3,235. White has spent $2,170 and has a balance of $1,064.

Kinder and Hearnes have raised all their funds from contributions; Burch's total includes a loan of $10,000 from the Cotton Exchange Bank of Kennett, and White's receipts include $2,950 he loaned to the campaign.

The 27th District seat is open this year with the retirement of Sen. John Dennis, D-Benton, after 16 years in office. The district has changed slightly this year because of the redistricting process that occurs after each census count.

The new district includes Perry and Madison counties; New Madrid County has been moved to the 25th District. Counties still in the 27th are Cape Girardeau, Scott, Mississippi and Bollinger.

Nearly $28,000 of Kinder's war chest was raised at a June 5 fundraiser in Cape Girardeau featuring Rush Limbaugh Jr., a Cape native and nationally known conservative radio talk show host. The disclosure report on the event lists gross receipts of $28,500, and expenses of $866. There were 325 people at the event.

Seventeen of the contributors listed in Kinder's report gave $500.

Burch held a barbecue in Sikeston on May 28 and had 85 people in attendance. The event took in $5,900 and expenses for food were listed as $60.

A large part of Burch's funds have come from food vending and supply companies around the state that have businesses similar to what he operates.

Chow Mobile Inc. of St. Louis has been Burch's largest contributor at $2,500. J.B. Vending, Inc. of St. Ann;, Mountain View Fabricating; and Arch El-Kay Vending, Inc. of St. Louis contributed $1,000 each to the Burch campaign. He has also received nine $500 contributions.

Hearnes' largest contribution has come from James F. Cooper of Bridgeton, who has given $1,250. She has also received $1,000 from her husband, former Gov. Warren E. Hearnes.

Other large contributors to Hearnes include: Citizens Bank of Charleston, $750; Ferrous Shearing Corp. of Crystal City, $1,000; James M. Thurmond of Charleston, $1,000; and Godfrey Padberg of St. Louis, $1,000. Hearnes has also had 10 $500 contributors.

Most of the expenditures at this point for the candidates have been for normal needs at the early stages of a campaign. Most expenses have gone for things like signs, bumper stickers, brochures, lists of names, letters for direct mail efforts and computer work.

All but White have listed expenses for campaign workers.

Hearnes has paid two workers about $160, Burch has paid three workers $4,590 and Kinder has paid two workers $3,388.

Kinder has drawn $557 from his campaign account for mileage reimbursement.

Burch has a second committee known as "Farmers for Burch," headed by John Hux Jr. The committee's 40-day report showed receipts of $3,638 and expenses of $3,303. The account balance is $334.

The committee's largest expense was for a fish fry held in Sikeston March 16, which drew 50 people, according to the event report. Gross receipts were $2,248 and expenses of the event were $1,739.

Louis Belt Construction Co. of Sikeston made an in-kind contribution of $700 to the farmers committee and Hay Brothers Enterprises made an in-kind donation of $500. Bob and Jane Jackson of Charleston and Jim and Kathy Hux are listed at $200 contributors to the committee.

Hearnes' $500 contributions came from: Hoyt and Judith Barnes of Charleston; James Bogle of Cape Girardeau; Brown and Associates of St. Louis; First Security State Bank of Charleston; Thomas Green of St. Louis; Delton and Betty Houtchens of Clinton; James Lincoln and Associates of Dexter; D. Douglas McLaughlin of Vail, Colo.; Greg Nooney of St. Louis; and Ed McSweeney of St. Louis.

She also received $250 each from the MERC-PAC in St. Louis, Mr. and Mrs. Byron Moxley of Charleston, and Eugene Walsh of St. Louis; and $200 each from: the Electrical Workers Voluntary PAC of St. Louis, Clint Elledge of Sikeston, Fitzgerald Marine and Repair, Inc. of Wyatt, George L. Halenkamp of St. Louis, James B. Moran of Charleston, James M. Haynes of Cape Girardeau, Richard Montgomery of Sikeston, and Anthony Sansone of St. Louis.

Contributing $500 to the Burch campaign were: Warehouse of Vending and Games of St. Louis; Mack's Vending Service of Bowling Green; Gateway Vending Corp. of St. Louis; Raymond and Linda Glaus of Sikeston; Lester and Lois Garson of Boca Raton, Fla.; Trey and Vicki Morris of Sikeston; St. Louis Vendors, Inc.; Midwest Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of St. Paul, Minn.; and the Parsons, Mitchell, Wilson and Satterfield law firm in Dexter.

Burch also received in-kind contributions of $700 from Herron and Associates of New Melle, and $400 from Steve Forbis, $271 from Mike Moll, and $200 from Glenn Pinkerton all of Sikeston.

Donating $250 to the Burch effort were the Missouri Physical Therapists PAC of Sturgeon, and the Marion, Ill., Pepsi Bottling Co. Contributing $200 each were: the Professional Athletic Rehabilitation Center; Dealers Interested in Government PAC from Jefferson City; Harris and Pipkin Vending of St. Louis; Office Refreshment Service Inc. of Maryland Heights; Carol Gilmore of Sikeston; Newco Enterprises of St. Charles; Readi Refreshments Inc. of St. Ann; Kathy Robben of Florissant; Alice Aufdenberg of Sikeston; and Danny and Sally Lape of Sikeston.

Among his other contributions is a $100 donation from the Mercantile PAC of St. Louis and $20 from the Tobacco Distributors PAC of Jefferson City.

Kinder's $500 contributors from Cape Girardeau include: River Eagle Distributors, Charlotte Bess, Joda Bess, Kohlfeld Beverage Co., Charles Blattner, Charles Cozean, Rob Erlbacher, D.L. Harrison, Martin Hecht, James Kinder, Gene Patterson, John L. Oliver and Jerry Zimmer.

Other $500 contributions came from: Citizens for Webster, from Jefferson City; Don Bedell of Sikeston; the Greater St. Louis Auto Dealers Association; and Lloyd Smith of Sikeston.

Kinder also reported $300 each from Jim Erlacker, Frank Emmendorfer and David Gerlach of Cape.

Donating $250 each from Cape were: Frank Bean, Keith Deimund, Gene Huckstep, Bill LaFoe, Tricia LaFoe, Bean Properties/Beacon Builders, Marjorie Hirsch-Deimund, Jim Limbaugh, Danny Lynn, Randall Stahly, Brian Tracy and Debra Tracy.

Others contributing $250 were: William Bess of Sikeston, M.D. Potashnick of Sikeston, Michael McGannon of Mexico, and Andrew C. Taylor of St. Louis.

Kinder's report lists $200 each from: Steve Engles, Mark Hosler, Ed Kiefner, Shivelbine's Music Store, Perryville Machine Shop, Marge Mills, Jon Rust, Tracy Blattner, and Joseph Stahly, all of Cape Girardeau; Lakenan Insurance Co. of Perryville; Larry Bock of Gordonville; Fred Dietrich of DeSoto; Stone Manes of Jackson; Mercantile Bank of St. Louis; Joe Pelts of Kennett; and Jim Stinnott of Carbondale.

The next disclosure report for the August primary is due seven days before the election.