Roy Blunt, Jerry Moran top list of Koch Industries campaign cash | McClatchy Washington Bureau

Missouri Republican Sen. Roy Blunt is the largest recipient of campaign contributions from employees of Koch Industries, according to federal data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics.

Blunt, who’s facing a re-election challenge from Democrat Jason Kander, has received $41,700 from Koch employees, including $10,000 from the Wichita conglomerate’s political action committee.

The Center for Responsive Politics is a watchdog group that tracks campaign fundraising and spending and lobbying activity.

Other top recipients of Koch employee contributions include Sen. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican; House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin; Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin. Koch employees have also contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to the House and Senate Republican campaign committees.

Moran, who’s up for re-election this year but isn’t in a particularly competitive race, has received $35,550 from Koch employees, including $10,000 from the Koch PAC.

The Missouri, Florida and Wisconsin Senate races are critical to both Republicans’ efforts to retain their Senate majority, as well as Democrats’ efforts to win theirs back.

Democrats would need a net gain of five seats for an outright majority. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates five races, including Florida’s, as toss-ups. Cook rates Wisconsin as leaning Democrat, slightly in favor of former Sen. Russ Feingold.

Cook rates Missouri as leaning Republican, slightly in favor of Blunt.

Other Senate Republicans or Republican candidates who have received campaign contributions from Koch employees include Joe Heck of Nevada, Tim Scott of South Carolina, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Mike Lee of Utah, Rob Portman of Ohio, Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire and Rand Paul of Kentucky.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California is also among the top recipients.