Barr keeps his cash advantage over Kemper

U.S. Rep. Andy Barr, R-Lexington, maintained a big cash advantage over Nancy Jo Kemper, his Democratic challenger, as the Nov. 8 election neared.

By Oct. 19, Barr had raised $2.32 million and had $781,614 on hand, according to the campaign-finance report he filed last week at the Federal Election Commission. Kemper had raised $418,412 and had $59,108 on hand. The candidates won’t file additional reports until after the election.

Nearly half of Barr’s money came from political action committees rather than individuals. PACs representing the finance sector — including banks, investment firms and insurance companies — led the way, giving Barr $621,560, according to an analysis of his donations by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics in Washington. Barr sits on the House Financial Services Committee, which has authority over these businesses.

Roughly half of Barr’s money came from outside Central Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District, which he represents, according to the center. Louisville, New York, Washington and Chicago were top fundraising areas for Barr.

Most of Kemper’s money — 92 percent — came from individuals, and more than four-fifths of them were Kentuckians, according to her report.

There has been scant interest in this congressional district by outside groups. So far, the only independent group to report activity is New Power PAC, which paid $5,496 this month to mail postcards supporting Kemper. New Power PAC, based in London, is financially backed by the advocacy group Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, and it assists Democratic candidates, according to its FEC reports.

Barr, elected in 2012, is seeking a third term in Congress. Kemper is a Woodford County church pastor and the retired executive director of the Kentucky Council of Churches.

This story was originally published October 31, 2016 at 11:37 AM with the headline "Barr keeps his cash advantage over Kemper."