Poll Shows Tight Race Between McCaskill and Challengers
Also, successor to Sen. Tim Green starts big campaign push.
U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri
Claire McCaskill
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Democratic polling firm Public Policy Polling released a survey on Wednesday showing U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) tied with all three of her potential GOP opponents.
Noting that things "could not be any closer in Claire McCaskill’s bid for re-election," a news release from the company noted that the freshman Missouri Senator ties each of her three prospective Republican opponents―Frontenac businessman John Brunner, Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) and former state Treasurer Sarah Steelman―at 43 percent.
That prompted Dean Debnam, the president of Public Policy Polling, to note that McCaskill is “definitely one of the most vulnerable incumbents in the country.”
But the poll showed that the three candidates―Brunner, Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) and former state Treasurer Sarah Steelman―haven’t built a lot of name recognition. About 64 percent of recipients said they were “not sure” about their opinion of Brunner, while 54 percent didn’t register any sort of reaction to Akin.
And McCaskill has plenty of money to spend against whoever comes out of the GOP primary. She has nearly $4.8 million of cash on hand.
WALSH MAKES IT OFFICIAL
A former state representative will officially kick off her bid for the state Senate at the end of February.
Former Rep. Gina Walsh (D-Bellefontaine Neighbors) has effectively been running to succeed state Sen. Tim Green, D-Spanish Lake, for some time. Her campaign is throwing an official launch event at 9 a.m. Feb. 25 at the Old St. Ferdinand Schoolhouse in Florissant.
According to a listing on Walsh's Facebook page, guests will include state Treasurer Clint Zweifel, St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley and Florissant Mayor Thomas Schneider. Green is listed as Walsh's treasurer.
EARLY STARTS
Groundhog Day has come and gone, but the political ads have just begun for 2012.
Unlike Illinois, a state that’s holding a primary in March, the Show Me State’s political parties aren’t picking candidates for the general election until early August.
That hasn’t stopped two Republican candidates in particular, Brunner and gubernatorial aspirant Dave Spence, from pushing out television ads. Brunner, a Frontenac resident who is pouring much of his own money into the contest, started running TV ads months ago.
“Many of you already know Dave’s record and are part of our team,” Spence aide Jared Craighead wrote in an email to supporters earlier this week. “We wanted you to get a first look at the new advertising campaign that will start today. Soon all of Missouri will get to know Dave the way you do. And they will begin to understand that Dave can and will get Missouri growing again.”
One piece of subtext that can be gleaned from Craighead’s quote is that Spence, a Kirkwood native who now lives in Frontenac, needs to build name recognition. Unlike Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon, Spence has never run for office before.
In any case, Spence will have the financial wherewithal to keep himself on the tube. Spence has nearly $2.3 million on hand according to his latest campaign finance report, while Randles has $5,176.
An addendum: Ladue School Board member Stacy Washington tweeted on Wednesday that Spence will be speaking to the St. Louis Pachyderms at noon on Friday at Trattoria Branica in Clayton.
EHLMANN TO THE DRAWING BOARD
St. Charles County’s top official was tapped this week to help draw state Senate districts just a few weeks before filing begins on Feb. 28.
St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann was picked as one of five Republicans in a commission drawing state Senate lines. If the exercise sounds familiar, it’s because the process was restarted after the Missouri Supreme Court declared an old map unconstitutional.
Ehlmann is one of two commissioners from the St. Louis metro area. Nixon selected St. Louis attorney Nicole Colbert-Botchway as one of the Democratic commissioners.
Ehlmann, of course, was a state senator before being elected as St. Charles County Executive. St. Charles Director of Administration Chuck Gross also was in the General Assembly's upper chamber
What are your thoughts on Gina Walsh's run for senate?
Tell us in the comments.
Elizabeth O'Fallon
3:31 pm on Sunday, February 5, 2012
As a voter, I will NEVER forget arranging a meeting with McCaskill's representative Bob Burns, to discuss the Senator's position on government-run healthcare. My father and I had worked hard gathering signatures for a petition to present to her office that was signed by 300 Missouri voters who were against healthcare, cap and trade, and raising of taxes. I was told by her representative that these 300 signatures "did not matter" and not only did I fell insulted, but felt that the meeting itself had been entirely pointless. I had personally read through 200 pages of "legal speak" in the healthcare bill (couldn't get through all 2,000 pages as it was just too cumbersome) and had many questions and concerns for Senator McCaskill regarding what I had read. Despite being told that her staff members answering the phone were only "information gatherers," I was frequently argued with and even hung up on once. Instead of representing the wishes of the majority of Missouri voters (71% voted for and passed the Healthcare Freedom Act) Senator McCaskill chose to step in line with her party and voted for President Obama's health care plan. I know the experience has made me more resolute, and I will gladly work hard for any viable candidate opposing her.