A Kansas City Star analysis of the 3,698 contributions to Blunt and Attorney General Jay Nixon, a Democrat, found that contributions mushroomed in size while small contributors became almost irrelevant, particularly for Blunt. Of the $4.39 million Blunt raised from January to June, less than $5,000 came in contributions of $100 or less.
The astronomical sums raised by both men skew campaigns, as candidates tailor their messages as much to spur donations as to win votes, said George Connor, a political scientist at Missouri State University.
"This level of fundraising on both sides adds to the perception that people can buy elections," Connor said. "It further diminishes the role of the voter in Missouri politics."
Blunt took in $2.71 million — 62 percent of his total — through individual contributions of $25,000 or more. One Texas couple — major backers of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth — donated $300,000.
Nixon, who plans to challenge Blunt next year, took in $1.75 million, mostly in large contributions. But he also mounted an intense grassroots effort that produced 3,110 contributions from January to June, compared with 588 donations to Blunt.
A notable item included in the article is Justice David Souter's opinion from the Supreme Court case upholding Missouri campaign contribution limits:
Supporters of the limits warned of the corrupting influence of unbridled contributions, just as U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter did in his 2000 opinion upholding Missouri's contribution limits.
"There is little reason to doubt that sometimes large contributions will work actual corruption on our political system," Souter wrote, "and no reason to question the existence of a corresponding suspicion among voters."
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