After becoming the first statewide candidate to face no major party opponent in more than a century and winning reelection Tuesday night, State Auditor Tom Schweich, a Republican, turned his attention to 2016 and his possible bid for governor.

In remarks to supporters gathered in Clayton, Missouri, Schweich did not hold back with his criticism — albeit implicit — of St. Louis billionaire Rex Sinquefield, a major supporter of the only announced Republican candidate for governor in 2016, Catherine Hanaway.

“We’ve seen candidates who seem completely bought and paid for by one donor,” Schweich told supporters gathered at J Buck’s in Clayton. “We have people in our state who brag about having political armies of lobbyist, lawyers and PACS — groups who manipulate politicians like pawns on a chess boards with an endless spigot of cash.”

Schweich said his office has been sued more than a dozen times by Sinquefield and his groups, which he said use “intimidation tactics” against Republicans.

“It’s very concerning when you hear about people trying to buy the courts and the media,” he said, pointing to an effort by a public relations firm contracted by Grow Missouri – which funded by Sinquefield – to hire reporters.

Schweich even alluded to campaign mailers by Grow Missouri which targeted voters over their voting records.

“There are people trying to shame you,” he said.

Schweich did not just direct his criticism at Democrats. In his remarks, he alluded to a recent New York Times report critical of the likely Democratic candidate, Attorney General Chris Koster, for alleged cozy relationships with lobbyists who represent companies his office was considering filing lawsuits against.

“The worst problem we have, and this is what I see very day, is corruption at all levels,” he said. “A lot of people are not looking out for you, they’re looking out for themselves. We’ve seen, just in the last couple weeks, some startling revelations about a public official, our own attorney general, who appears to be selling his office to 5-hour energy drink, and other places like that.”

While Schweich was in Clayton, Hanaway was nearby at a campaign rally for Republican Jay Ashcroft who is challenging Democrat Jill Schupp for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican John Lamping.