Smith’s campaign chest looks healthy

House Budget Committee ranking member Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., left, accompanied by House Republican Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., second from right, and House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., right, speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, June 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

The 2022 Missouri Senate primary election is still more than a year away but at this early date, among the announced and rumored GOP candidates to succeed retiring Sen. Roy Blunt, no hopeful appears to have more cash on hand than Southeast Missouri congressman Jason Smith (R-8).

Smith, who has represented 30 counties in southeast and southern Missouri since 2013, has $1.625 million in the campaign bank, according to June 30 campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Elections Commission.

At the start of this month, Smith’s war chest was more robust than any announced Republican hopeful, having $175,000 more than U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler and $500,000 more than Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt

St. Louis lawyer Mark McCloskey, who, along with his wife, Patricia, pleaded guilty in June to misdemeanor charges after gaining national attention for pointing guns at Black Lives Matter protesters last year, has about $167,000 cash on hand, while former Gov. Eric Greitens trails all Republican announced candidates with less than $135,000 in the bank, according to the FEC.

Smith, the ranking Republican on the House Budget Committee, has not announced whether he will enter the Senate field next year but held a campaign fundraiser in April at former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida and reportedly has visited the 45th president in his New York City office.

The 41-year-old Smith told Fox News earlier this summer he continues to give the opportunity to succeed Blunt serious consideration.

“I will put my conservative record ... up against anyone, and I’ll also put my record of standing up for the America First agenda, supporting President Trump and not running away when things got tough,” he told Fox host Neil Cavuto in June.

Smith has more cash in the bank than two other House colleagues also believed to be contemplating the Senate race, Ann Wagner (R-2/St. Louis) and Billy Long (R-7/Springfield).

Fundraising

Although Smith leads to-date in terms of cash on hand, Schmitt and Hartzler have outraised him in fundraising since the start of 2021. Schmitt, who entered the race March 23, has raised $1.33 million — all but $5,000 of it coming from individual contributions. Hartzler, who joined the contest in June, has raised $1.05 million overall with more than $831,000 of the total coming from individuals.

Smith, who will seek reelection to the House if he opts to pass on the race for Congress’ upper chamber, has more than $616,000 in overall receipts since Jan. 1 — with more than $479,000 in individual contributions.

Greitens, who resigned the Missouri governorship in June 2018, has total 2021 receipts of more than $476,000 so far, with nearly $358,000 coming from individuals.