The Moniteau County Republican Club met for its regularly bimonthly meeting last week at the Cowboy Church in Tipton.
The group's main business was approving its donation amounts for candidates running in the upcoming November election. The club allocates donations from the money raised at its annual Lincoln Day fundraiser. This year's edition raised $8,400 to go toward campaigns, which was approved by the group to be distributed as follows: $2,500 to each of the Missouri GOP and governor candidate Mike Parson, $2,000 to Missouri representative candidate Sara Walsh, and $500 to state treasurer candidate Scott Fitzpatrick.
The Moniteau County Republican Club is a PAC and is subject to the contribution limits set by the Missouri Ethics Commission. The maximum amount any contributor may give to a candidate running for statewide office is $2,650, while the maximum amount that can go toward an individual running for state representative is $2,046.
Campaign contributions from the group's last general election cycle in 2016 included $250 to the United States House candidate; $1,000 toward each of the governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general races; $500 toward each of the Missouri GOP, the county central committee, and the secretary of state and treasurer races; and $2,500 toward the Missouri state representative race.
The group also approved a reimbursement for $100 that was used to help purchase yard signs and campaign bumper stickers for Donald Trump. The group approved an additional $100 to put toward more large yard signs. With these approvals and the group's campaign contributions, slightly over $700 remains in the budget.
In other business, the club set the date for Lincoln Day 2021 - Feb. 6. The group is hoping to host the event at California United Church of Christ, as it did this year, but it has set Centennial Hall on the Moniteau County Fairgrounds as the backup location in case UCC is unavailable.
In preparation for the 2021 edition, the group will establish a committee to address whether catering for the event should be changed and replaced with menu-planning by the group or other alternatives.
The club will also consider switching its regular meeting date and time at its next meeting in November.
The group also heard from Moniteau County Sheriff Tony Wheatley, who gave a presentation on the Castle Doctrine, and Walsh, who updated the group on the Missouri legislature's veto session and special session to address violent crime.
The Republican Club's next regular meeting is set for Nov. 19 at Nic-Nac Cafe.