Leonard Leo and Paul Singer are supporting challenger Will Scharf in his bid to unseat Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey. This down-ballot race is the most expensive in the country, with influential figures from the national conservative movement backing Scharf against Missouri’s wealthiest political boosters.
As the Aug. 6 Republican Party primary approaches, political action committees Defend Missouri and Liberty and Justice PAC are saturating the airwaves with attack ads targeting Bailey and Scharf. Defend Missouri, supported by Leonard Leo and other national donors, is going after Bailey, while Liberty and Justice PAC, backing Bailey, is funded by local political power brokers.
Both PACs are running negative ads, with personal attacks on both candidates. Bailey and Scharf stand by their allies’ tactics and condemn their opponents’ strategies. The race has become heated, with accusations flying from both sides.
The most recent poll of Missouri voters shows Bailey leading among Republican voters, but Scharf’s internal polling suggests a much closer race. Both candidates are confident in their chances as the primary draws near.
Campaign finance records reveal that both groups are primarily financed by influential donors and organizations. Defend Missouri has received significant contributions from Club for Growth Action and the Concord Fund, while Liberty and Justice PAC has received funds from donors like Rex and Jeanne Sinquefield and Michael and Carolyn Rayner.
Despite the intense competition and negative campaigning, both candidates remain focused on their goals. Scharf acknowledges the support he has received from national conservative figures like Leonard Leo and is determined to prove himself as a “conservative winner” in Missouri. According to records from OpenSecrets, a watchdog group, Sinquefield has been supporting Republicans and conservative causes since at least 1989.
In 2022, Sinquefield was a significant supporter of federal super PACs backing the election of Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.). However, representatives of Sinquefield did not respond to a request for comment from The Epoch Times.
Scharf, endorsed by the Club for Growth, is highlighted as a committed constitutional conservative, contrasting with Bailey, whom the Club criticizes as a “RINO” with no interest in shrinking government or promoting economic growth. Representatives of the Club for Growth also did not respond to a request for comment from The Epoch Times.
The Club for Growth is a national conservative group consisting of a 501(c)(4) nonprofit and a super PAC, Club for Growth Action, with funding primarily coming from Republican megadonors like Richard Uihlein and Jeff Yass.
In Missouri, the Club for Growth Federal PAC raised about $7.2 million in 2024, with contributions from various sources including the Concord Fund and Paul Singer, a prominent donor to Republican and conservative causes.
Scharf and Bailey, candidates for the same office, position themselves based on legal and political experience. Bailey, appointed by Gov. Mike Parson, emphasizes his work as attorney general, while Scharf highlights his role as Trump’s personal attorney and his work at the James Otis Law Group LLC.
Scharf pledges to address illegal immigration, push for tougher state laws, and combat corruption in Jefferson City, contrasting himself with Bailey by pointing out alleged failures in Bailey’s administration. Bailey, on the other hand, emphasizes his successful recruitment and retention of staff and his track record of wins in court. Please provide me with a rephrased version of the text.
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