Tuesday, August 7, 2012
U.S. Rep. Todd Akin wins the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate. Businessman Dave Spence wins the GOP nomination for governor.
A state constitutional amendment touted as a "right to pray" provision has won by better than a four-to-one margin. Proponents say Amendment 2 protects the right of Missourians to pray in public. Opponents of the measure say those protections are already guaranteed in the Bill of Rights and the amendment would be a boon for lawyers, who will battle in court over unintended consequences spawned by the provision. Meanwhile in the race for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate, U.S. Rep. Todd Akin, R-Wildwood, has won. The Springfield News-Leader declared Akin the winner with about 80 percent of votes tallied. Akin faced down challengers Sarah Steelman, the former state treasurer, and businessman John Brunner has 29 percent. In the race for the …
Monday, August 6, 2012
Patch 'Blue Arch' participants favored the Frontenac businessman over U.S. Rep. Todd Akin and former State Treasurer Sarah Steelman.
The re-election campaign of Missouri U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill has made headlines for a television ad strategy that goes after each of the three main Republican contenders in the GOP primary. Political observers have wondered aloud if the ad approach shines more favorably on U.S. Rep. Todd Akin in hopes that the Wildwood Republican emerges in Tuesday's election. But a Patch Blue Arch survey out Monday indicates Democrats may be most concerned if businessman John Brunner defeats Akin and former State Treasurer Sarah Steelman. More than 50 influential Democrats were asked using an automated survey tool what they thought about a variety of questions tied to the Senate primary, among other topics. Twenty-nine responses were collected, and…
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Former State Treasurer Sarah Steelman faces businessman John Brunner and U.S. Rep. Todd Akin in next month's primary.
8:00 p.m. Updated with reaction from the Brunner For Senate campaign. Sarah Steelman has made efforts throughout her bid for the GOP nomination to be the next U.S. Senator from Missouri to draw "Maverick" comparisons between herself and Sarah Palin, the party's 2008 Vice Presidential candidate. Tuesday afternoon, the Steelman campaign announced it had won her endorsement and released a statement from the former Alaska Governor: As we seek to fundamentally restore our great nation to strength and prosperity, we must send more commonsense conservatives to the U.S. Senate. We need sincere public servants who will fight for us, not the special interests and the permanent political class in Washington. Sarah Steelman will fight for all of …
Monday, July 16, 2012
The inaugural Red Arch survey asked more than 50 influential Republicans questions tied to the GOP primary.
If the election were held today, political insiders in Missouri say U.S. Representative Todd Akin (R-Wildwood) would narrowly edge businessman John Brunner for their support for the Republican nomination to face U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill. That's the main finding of the inaugural Red Arch survey conducted by Missouri Patch sites. More than 50 influential Republicans, primarily from the St. Louis area, were asked using an automated survey tool what they thought about a variety of questions relating to the U.S. Senate primary race. Thirty-three responses were collected. A majority (51.5 percent) of respondents said they would back Rep. Akin over Brunner (45.5 percent) if the election were held today. Former State Treasurer Sarah Steelman …
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Brunner is one of eight candidates seeking the GOP nomination to face Claire McCaskill.
Name : Mr. John G. Brunner Date of birth : 08 December 1951 Place of residence : Frontenac Attended college : Yes College : Harding College Degree : Bachelor's Year of graduation : 1973 University : Washington University in St. Louis Degree : MBA Year of graduation : Has served in the military: Yes Rank : Marine Infantry Officer Date when discharged from duty : 01 January 1970 Job titles held : President and CEO Employers : Vi-Jon Laboratories Party affiliation : Republican Running for a: Federal office Running for position: United States Senate Chamber/district: Incumbent: No Previous elective offices : NA Unsuccessful bids for elective offices: NA Address 12637 Olive Blvd St. Louis MO 63141 Name : Jon Seaton Title : Campaign Manager …
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Republican candidates talked about the economy, health care and Mitt Romney Friday night at Washington University in St. Louis.
With just over a month until voters determine which Republican will take on U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill in November, the trio of top GOP contenders sparred Friday night in a debate seen across the state of Missouri. The debate, featuring U.S. Representative Todd Akin (R-Wildwood), Frontenac Businessman John Brunner and former State Treasurer Sarah Steelman, was held at Washington University's Edison Theater and carried by KMOV-TV in St. Louis and KCTV-TV in Kansas City. Steelman, speaking second in the debate's opening statements after Brunner, was the first to mention McCaskill and President Barack Obama by name, making not-so-subtle jabs at the Senator's foibles in recent years with private aircraft and tax issues. Questions came from …
Friday, May 18, 2012
Country music and laryngitis are two of the methods employed this week.
The last few iterations of this column have noted how several candidates for the U.S. Senate utilized creative means to entice fundraising efforts. For instance, Rep. Todd Akin (R-Wildwood) used his rhetorical scuffle with President Barack Obama over student loans in a fundraising pitch. And Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) has directly attacked third-party organizations that are pre-emptively attacking the incumbent lawmaker as she makes a difficult bid for re-election. McCaskill’s campaign staff continued on a creative path in an email that was sent to supporters earlier this week. They played on the fact that McCaskill had lost her voice right before she was supposed to make a speech at a Democratic gathering in Kansas City. “Between …
Friday, May 11, 2012
This edition of Political Potpourri has campaign machinations on both sides of the race to be Missouri's next U.S. Senator.
Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri) made an appearance this week on The Colbert Report, a popular satirical news show on Comedy Central. The first-term senator spent time on the show talking about her latest ad, which hones on third-party organizations that have been running ads against her. “Stephen, as he always does, used his character to point out the absurd loopholes in federal election law that allow corporations and special interests to anonymously influence the political system. I applaud the work he and his show do to educate America about 501(c)(4) organizations and secret money,” McCaskill said in a letter to supporters. “But, until the system is fixed, secret money will continue to flow into Missouri and attack me. As I said, if…
Friday, April 20, 2012
Also, find out why Newt Gingrich may not be a fan of the St. Louis Zoo, and we have links to this weekend's congressional district caucus events.
The tea party movement’s activism may have helped tip the 2010 election cycle to Republicans, especially since dedicated volunteers helped Republicans win the U.S. House and close the gap in the U.S. Senate. So it’s no surprise that candidates—including the three major Republicans running for the U.S. Senate in Missouri—are trying to gather support from tea party organizations and political figures. But one of the interesting aspects of the movement is its inherent decentralization—no one entity speaks for everybody. For instance, former state Treasurer Sarah Steelman announced a few weeks ago an endorsement from Tea Party Express, a California-based group that touts itself as the “nation’s largest tea party political action committee.” “…
Friday, April 6, 2012
Aides to Frontenac businessman John Brunner ding Steelman on previous statements on legislative endorsements.
Back when she ran for governor in 2008, then-state Treasurer Sarah Steelman sent out a press release touting the support of non-elected individuals. It was meant as a jab of sorts against U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof, a Columbia Republican who had scooped up support from elected officials across the state. Flash forward four years later, and Steelman is running for the U.S. Senate seat. In a crowded primary, she's considered one of three credible candidates for the chance to face off against Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri). This time around, Steelman has some advantages. She's the only candidate to run statewide out of a field that includes Rep. Todd Akin (R-Wildwood) and Frontenac businessman John Brunner. She also is the most visible …
Kevin Lane
4:41 am on Saturday, August 11, 2012
BTW - An "authoritarian-type government" doesn't usually go around posting your rights so you can see them every single day. An "authoritarian-type government" would be the kind that would try to take them away. more ›