The cost of the ‘Billy Bus’ and other financial data from Missouri Senate race

It cost $5,108.27 for Rep. Billy Long to plaster his face on the side of the bus he’s using to travel Missouri for his U.S. Senate campaign.

The “Billy Bus” is the Springfield Republican’s attempt to stand out in a packed 2022 primary field that includes a scandal-ridden former governor, a litigious Attorney General, two members of Congress and a St. Louis attorney who became a viral celebrity for brandishing a firearm at demonstrators.

According to his latest campaign financial report, Long spent more than $50,000 renting a bus at a cost of around $15,000 a month, not including insurance. That’s five times more per month than the campaign spent on candy bars ($3,734).

Long’s campaign did not return a phone call or email requesting comment.

Typically, the type of bus Long rented is saved for the final weeks of a race because of the high cost. Still, Long was able to bring in $553,289 in the third quarter, the second most of any candidate in the field. He used another $121,254 of that money to pay Kellyanne Conway, one of former President Donald Trump’s top advisers, for political consulting between July 15 and September 1.

Republicans are coveting Trump’s endorsement in the primary, seeing it as a potential path to victory in the crowded field.

Voters won’t choose a Republican nominee until next August. But candidates’ ability to raise money can signal who donors think has the best shot of winning the seat.

Already, conservative political newcomer Mark McCloskey is struggling to keep pace financially.

McCloskey gained national prominence after he and his wife held guns outside of their house during a Black Lives Matter Protest and parlayed the publicity into a speech to the 2020 Republican National Convention. He raised just $267,132 in the third quarter of 2021, the least of any Republican running to fill the seat of retiring Sen. Roy Blunt.

Along with Long, who spent more money than he raised in the third quarter, the conservative firebrands in the race — McCloskey and former Gov. Eric Greitens — have spent their money at a faster clip than the rest of the Republican field. McCloskey had $92,146 on hand, the lowest of any major candidate. Greitens had $200,803 on hand, but his campaign owes $143,428 in debts for consulting and surveys.

Hartzler has the most cash on hand, with $1.6 million. Schmitt has $1.19 million and Long has $539,854.

In order to keep up financially, Greitens is using a joint fundraising committee called The G Team to boost his total. It’s a method often employed to get additional money out of large donors. His campaign raised $543,509 in the third quarter, and nearly 40 percent of the money was transferred from the joint fundraising committee.

Attorney General Eric Schmitt, who has been able to attract attention through high-profile lawsuits over COVID-19 restrictions and other issues, raised $651,826, the most of any Republican in the field. Rep. Vicky Hartzler raised $446,531.

Greitens has been openly opposed by some Republicans concerned that the scandals that plagued him as Missouri governor would make him a weak general election candidate. Still, in early polling, Greitens has consistently been one of the leading candidates in the field, alongside Schmitt.

All of the Republicans were out-raised by Democratic candidate and former Marine Lucas Kunce, who pulled in $849,264 during a quarter when he attracted national attention for his commentary on the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Former state Sen. Scott Sifton raised $223,411 and Kansas City activist Tim Shepard has not released his report.

Other notable races

Kansas Third

In what is shaping up as a rematch of the 2020 election, Rep. Sharice Davids significantly out-raised Republican Amanda Adkins. Davids collected $828,547 and has $1.7 million on hand. Adkins, who raised $286,380, has $749,000 in the bank.

Missouri Fourth

In the Republican primary to replace Hartzler, former Boone County Clerk Taylor Burks has raised $186,214. Kalena Bruce, an accountant and farmer, raised $180,710. State Rep. Sara Walsh raised $49,060.

Kansas Second

Republican Rep. Jake LaTurner raised $225,586 and has $399,415 on hand. His Democratic opponent, Navy veteran Patrick Schmidt, raised $164,897 and has $127,122 on hand.