By Rudi Keller

Eighth District Democratic candidate Tommy Sowers announced this afternoon that his campaign to unseat U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson raised $295,000 in the first three months of the year, his best quarter so far.

That puts his total for the race above $675,000, the most raised by a foe of Emerson since she won the office in 1996. In an e-mail announcing the total, Sowers said 99 percent of the money came from individual donors and 75 percent were from contributors giving $200 or less.

"This is the kind of number that will get us noticed, both here at home and in Washington," Sowers said. "The more light we shine on this district, my opponent, and this race, the better."

Sowers is hoping to use the strong total to capture more attention from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which named Missouri's Eighth District contest an emerging race in January.

Sowers wants to move up to being the challenger in a targeted race, which the Democrats call their Red to Blue Program. Of the 17 contests listed as "Top Races" in January, 13 were tagged as targeted districts in March. The only ones left off the list were three districts where the Democratic contender has yet to be chosen in a primary and a contest in Arizona.

Sowers is a former U.S. Army Major, serving in special forces and as an instructor at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. He returned to Rolla, Mo., to take a post at Missouri University of Science and Technology.

"I'm proud that our campaign continues to be funded by individuals," Sowers said in a news release. "They give us the fuel and ammo to fight this fight, and we'll stay on offense through November."

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